Pokemon Rust
by Bast13
Summary: 22 years has taken it's toll on the pokemon world. Johto has been devastated and society has fallen to gang rule after the war but a single message on a pokegear changed Steel's life forever and it started with a simple question: "Are you a boy or a girl?"
1. Prologue

He couldn't believe the league council. All the respect he'd had for his former colleagues had dissipated and turned into anger. He hated them for prolonging a war they would inevitably win but to him… they'd already lost.

Too many were gone. His father, Surge, Lance, Pryce, were all gone. He loathed that region and he made a promise. His father would want him to do this, to bring storms to the region of islands and he could do it. They were flying types, guardian and had the power to stop the suffering of Kahto*, maybe the power to end his.

It would not be vengeance, it would be justice. Fire, ice and lightning would rain down on the world's enemies and he would be a saviour. He knew it wouldn't resurrect the dead but he felt that it would at least allow them to rest in peace.

Falkner stood at the remains of the two towers and awaited the legendries. Surely they would answer his call; it was for the sake of Johto.

The wind was still in anticipation but the sky was grim and grey. His hands clutched his navy coat and his blue hair fell over his enraged eyes. He spared a moment and looked over to the abandoned gym. The spiritual energy had left along with the coward Morty; he had yearned for us all to flee, to hide from the looming tragedy. We had dismissed him in nervous laughter, too determined to win but Falkner knew that his warning had affirmed itself into the mind of us all. No-one could fully discredit the seer's premonition.

He turned in defiance and repeated the names of all the dead therapeutically to remind him of his goal and what he was striving for.

He whispered, "Father, Surge, Lance, Pryce…" but faltered. A strong wind had picked up and he looked upwards. There was no sun in the sky but the creatures that flew down were even more radiant in Falkner's entranced eyes. He met their eyes and he felt an understanding and he laughed in honest joy. If only his father was here.

The two let out their magnificent cries and they, along with Falkner's triumphant laughs, filled the cold silent Ecruteak city. He had done it. He was going to end the war and save everyone.

"Ho-oh! Lugia! Mighty guardians of Johto and Kanto, together we will strike Hoenn with fire, lightning and ice! We will unleash a storm that will never…" despite the howling wind and roaring legendaries he heard a van drive up to the burnt towers.

He wheeled around and his rage was felt by the pokémon he'd just connected with. The wind blew more ferociously and Falkner saw the driver and passengers shield their faces while their clothes billowed violently as they exited the van.

"Falkner, you must stop this at once! Think about what this could mean for the world!" The professor shouted above the storm.

"Samuel! How dare you stop me!" Falkner bellowed. " I thought after Pryce and Lance you would want this war to end!"

Professor Oak's face was distraught, "Of course I want this war to end but utter destruction is never the answer!"

Two people ran forward and Falkner's face twitched angrily in recognition. They both wore large coats that covered their iconic outfits but Whitney's pink bunches, Janine's purple spikes and ninja mask was all too visible.

"Falkner, please!" Janine cried with her tears blowing away in the savage gusts.

"We were all hurt but this can't be the answer!" Whitney joined the pleading but the pokémon behind Falkner, with the powerful flaps of their wings stirring up the storm, stood as Falkner's reason and his bereavement stood as his protection so their begging couldn't penetrate his heart.

"I'm not backing down! I've worked too hard and lost too much to lose it all." His voice cracked with emotion and he looked away from Janine and Whitney's faces of despair and glared at Oak.

"I always knew you'd betray us." Falkner spat and he turned determinedly to the pokémon.

"Unleash your power on Hoenn! Fulfil your duties as guardians and avenge the fallen of Kahto!" He commanded and the legendaries rose powerfully.

Fear consumed Oak and Whitney, they trembled as horrific images of the future flashed through their minds but Janine furrowed her eyebrows in anger. The death of Falkner's father had unhinged him more than she'd previously believed and now only she and her training to stay focused could save thousands of people.

Fluidly, she grabbed her shuriken pokéballs, threw them and her pokémon burst out. A crobat, weezing, venemoth and two ariados appeared alongside her father's muk.

"Use confuse ray, sludge bomb, gunk shot and poison jab!" She commanded and the corresponding pokémon attacked. The weezing, venemoth, muk and crobat attacked the two legendaries and the ariados tackled Falkner. He tried to flail and fight them off but they'd trapped his arms and began to attack him. Janine was haunted as Falkner managed to turn over and stare at her with a mix of unbelievable sadness and anger until he slumped, unconscious.

The birds roared terribly but they had lost their connection with the summoner so they flashed greatly and disappeared. The residue poison from Janine's attacks was blown off by the wind in their wake and left wisps of fog lingering in the air.

Falkner was imprisoned by the league and the war had raged on with great and numerous casualties but the end had not come with victory.

Hoenn was beginning to lose, it could not fight two regions simultaneously so they had turned to the pokémon of the land and the sea. Peace had failed and neither side could surrender. Morty had been correct and Kahto was lost to natural disasters brought on by Team Magma and Aqua. Many good people were lost in the eruptions and floods but many were lost in the cities riddled with crime and gangs.

Criminals were seizing power and there was nothing to do about it. Leading the onslaught of gang rule was the Zephyrs.

* * *

><p><strong>*Kahto is the continent of Johto and Kanto<strong>


	2. Chapter 1

"Are you a boy or a girl?" the tinny Professor asked. Steel clicked the 'boy' button and a different message began to play. It was Professor Oak but the message frequently skipped or blurred. Steel held the pokégear up to his ear so he didn't miss a word.

"The war with Hoenn is becoming increasingly desperate and after seeing what some people here have tried to do..." there was a forlorn sigh, "...I fear they may be attempting the same in Hoenn and Kanto nor Johto could survive such an onslaught so we've constructed a base under the Indigo Plateau. It will allow at least a hundred people to survive the aftermath. My secret talks with Professor Birch have been nothing but troubling. Those two cannot be unleashed or Arceus save us all."

The message blurred but then resumed with a much more fragile sounding Oak with water churning and earth rumbling in the background. "They've done it! Those bastards did it!" there was a chocked attempt at a calming breath, "Kahto* is not safe. You must retreat to the Indigo base! We need your power here and there's no hope for Kahto anymore. Most trainers were sent to fight so I assume you don't have a Pokémon of your own."

Steel marvelled as the device whirred and revealed the small version of a pokéball. He grabbed it quickly as if someone was about to take it from him. "Use this Totodile to aid your journey though even with its help I cannot guarantee your safety. It's a young Pokémon but all Elm could find. He's reported gang rule so good luck on your journey." he stopped for the final time and a map flickered onto the screen. Steel hadn't seen a map of his so-called home before. His current location lit up but so did the Indigo Plateau. He was horrified to see how far away it was but the excited fire inside of him couldn't be put out so easily.

He strapped the pokégear to his cuff and clenched the pokéball in his hand. There was rarely reason for joy in his world so he was thrilled to find himself grinning. A breeze flew past him but it was recognisably thick grey. He looked over to the city and found the fog was going in noxious strands towards him. He grabbed the goggles and neckerchief from around his neck and pulled them over his eyes, nose and mouth. The hurriedly placed strap made his light blue hair bunch up weirdly but he didn't have time to worry about that. He sprinted through the cave entrance and slammed the steel door shut.

He came face to face with his father breathing heavily. His father hugged Steel and began talking in quick but incomprehensible strings of worry. Steel pulled away and pulled down the goggles and mask so he could reveal his smile to his father.

Steel's dad smiled weakly and grabbed his son's wrist to drag him inside their house but recoiled nervously when Steel whimpered. A quiet apology was whispered and the two rushed inside their house.

They lived inside Mount Mortar with a few others and their 'house' was a cube cut out of the mountain. It had a large blanket on the floor where they slept, a fire where they cooked and a chest to keep their possessions. Life here was difficult and boring since all they seemed to do was survive but Steel was about to change that for him and his father.

"So we've got some berries I could mash for lunch but we've run out of bread for today so we'll have to have berries for dinner too." his father kept making idle conversation about what to eat as if they had options.

Steel sat down and gently massaged his bandaged arm which was still very painful from where it was grabbed, waiting for his father to be not facing the fire. Finally Ferro walked over to other side of the small room and Steel stood up. He held his pokéball but looked at it confused. He'd never seen a Pokémon or a pokéball so he was unsure of how to use one.

He noticed the button and pressed it experimentally. Both Steel and Ferro jumped when they heard the metallic popping sound and flash. Ferro spun around to see what had happened and leapt backwards when he saw the upright, two foot blue crocodile with a yellow underbelly and red spines. Ferro whispered and closed his eyes, hoping that it was some sort of nightmare. He, like most of his generation, was terrified of Pokémon ever since the two Hoenn monsters had unleashed such disaster. Steel hadn't met a Pokémon until then since he'd lived his entire life in Mount Mortar so despite some anxiousness he was just curious and excited.

"St-steel, what the heck is that!?" Ferro stammered. His red hair seemed to be on end with fright and his brown eyes quivered. The Totodile yipped happily but could understand that the older human was afraid.

Steel approached the Pokémon and scratched its head affectionately. "Aww... I'm gonna call you..." Steel paused and looked intently at Totodile and chuckled. "How can I name you if I don't know if you're a boy or girl?"

He looked Totodile in its red eyes. "Boy?" he asked slow and clearly. The Totodile didn't respond. "Girl?" he said quizzically and the Totodile quacked cheerfully. Steel smiled but was slightly disappointed it wasn't a boy because Tyrone was an awesome name.

He looked up in thought and went through the names in his mind while looking to Totodile for a response. "Lin, Jenny, Karen?" he added the last one hopefully but Totodile didn't seem to like it. "Vivian, Brooke?" Totodile danced happily at the last one and jumped on Steel.

"Brooke the Totodile it is." he grinned.

"Steel..." his father began and Steel's smile shrank. "How...Where d-did you get that monster?" he stammered and Steel raised his cuff to show him the pokégear.

"I found this outside and it had Professor Oak on it. It was from the ..." Ferro's eyes became cloudy at Professor Oak's name and Steel choked on the words. He only knew of Oak from his father's tales but he should have realised that he died. No-one at seventy-two could have survived the flooding and earthquakes.

"...he was talking about a bunker below the Indigo Plateau and he gave me Brooke to help us travel there safely.

There was silence except for the light crackling of the fire while Ferro thought.

"I can't go." he said sadly.

"Why? Brooke can protect the two of us and..."

"I'm too old Steel. I can't live in the awful world out there. I can't even think about all the Pokémon out there." he shuddered but looked at his son with an uncommon look of determination. "I may not be able to go but I know you are."

Steel looked up sadly at his father but Ferro was having none of it. "Don't be sad. You deserve to have a fulfilled life and I know you have the willpower to have one." Ferro stepped forward and hugged his son despite the Totodile lurking nearby.

"Your mother got there and you are definitely your mother's son." They both had tears in their eyes at the prospect of leaving each other but there was no option. Ferro had always wanted his son to live with his mum but there had been a need for her elsewhere. Somewhere Ferro couldn't go.

Ferro gave Steel an old bag and all the food and water they had since Ferro could get some more from the Mount Mortar underground farms and well. He still had some pokédollars from the old days and though there would be little use for them on the outside there might be people who still accept it as a currency.

Steel and Brooke stepped outside to the cold fog that often plagued route 42 but he breathed deeply. He was now free.


	3. Chapter 2

The route that Mount Mortar opened onto was supposed to lead onto Mahogany town but Steel face a massive wall. They couldn't climb the wall because it was too tall and so cold that it burned Steel's hands when he touched it.

He was told that there used to be ponds in route 42 that you'd have to swim over but the earthquakes had shifted the earth so it was only muddy. Brooke loved it. She slid on the stomach and played around in the slippery dirt while Steel sat down and consulted the pokégear's map to find an alternative route. Eventually he found one but it would be a lot more circuitous than he'd hoped.

Brooke waddled over to him and Steel scratched her head. Being so close to Mahogany town made Steel realise how cold it was. Plumes of white air appeared in front of him and his hand kept twitching up to his goggles to protect his eyes from the fog that wasn't there. He was curious that the pokégear still maintained its contacts. There were a lot of other Professors such as the Elm Professor Oak mentioned as well as Professor Birch. There were twelve people titled Gym Leader and several mediocre ones like Shopkeeper and Grandson.

Finally there was a radio app but Steel didn't even give that one a second glance, there was no chance the radio tower was still standing. Steel became sore from sitting on the icy mud so he got up and started walking in the other direction to Ecruteak city. Brooke walked alongside him and Steel kept rubbing his uninjured arm to keep warm. It felt unfamiliar not to make even idle conversation and Brooke kept looking up to him. It had only been a short while but he missed his father.

He remembered his last day with his father and could only think about how determined he was. Steel wondered why, all he knew was that it had something to do with his mother. Steel hated that he didn't know his mother. He loved his father but he just felt... incomplete without her. She'd left to 'answer a calling' and Steel's father was left alone with a small son and his neurotic self.

At last they'd reached the other end and Steel pulled on his goggles and mask. He was about to enter the fog ridden city when he noticed Brooke coughing and choking on the noxious fog.

"Oh my gosh, Brooke!" Steel ran and dropped to Brooke's level. He grabbed her shoulders and began to shake her fearfully. "What do I do? What do I do?" He grabbed Brooke and ran away but she was still spluttering and shuddering violently. Steel grabbed the pokéball and pressed the button numerous times frantically but nothing.

Brooke's blue face was starting to turn red but she reached for the pokéball. Oak had mentioned that she was young but also that she belonged to a professor so she probably knew what she was doing. He held the pokéball and the two touched. The ball sprang open and in a flash of red light she was gone. He tucked the pokéball carefully into his navy jacket's inner pocket to protect her and he turned once again to the city. Second time's the charm.

He walked into the fog and squinted in an attempt to see. The streetlamps did nothing but appear as disembodied balls of light. He didn't want to draw attention to himself but at the same time he wanted to get inside or at least find another way out of the city. "Anyone there?" he called out cautiously but there was no answer. He walked on and came to patch of less dense fog. The patch was located between two large shapes and in the centre he found a statue with a shroud covering it.

The shroud was blue with a large symbol dominating it. The symbol was silver and of similar shape to a hexagon but there was a slit that went from the bottom to the middle and the decorations made it resemble a pair of wings.

Standing here filled Steel with irrational dread like he walked over a grave. Something terrible must have happened to this place. He turned away from the shroud and was about to call out when he felt a hand clasp his mouth.

He tried to scream and flailed wildly. He couldn't see or hear his attacker. There was nothing but silent fog in Ecruteak. His elbow slammed into the assailant and for that one moment of victory there came terror. A well aimed stab hit the small of Steel's back and all the grey he saw turned to black and he collapsed.

His consciousness didn't last long as he soon awoke inside a house. The house felt so different to his home which was small and entirely stone. The walls were a very light blue and the floor was wood. A small kitchen area was fitted in one corner and Steel was lying on a bed, being watched by a very angry looking girl dressed in grey which would have made her invisible in the fog outside.

"What the heck were you thinking!?" She hissed, careful not to draw attention from the patrollers. She had wavy red hair but it was hidden behind a grey hood. A small green Pokémon was using vines that came from the various dark green buds on its neck to lift a frying pan threateningly.

"_Chiko_!" It cried.

"I-I was only trying to get past." Steel stammered. His hand went to his inner pocket to check that Brooke's pokéball was still there and mercifully it was. The girl brushed her hair behind her ear with an annoyed huff.

"Ecruteak in under Zephyr control, you've got to be quiet or they'll try to find a reason to beat you up, rob you then beat you up again."

"Zephyr?"

The girl pointed vaguely to the closed curtains. "You know, it's the sign on the shroud." She crossed her arms. "It's the sign for the gang that's taken control of this and a few other cities."

Steel sat up and winced when he moved his damaged arm.

"What happened?" she pointed to his arm. Steel looked at it self-consciously and grimaced at the memory.

"Until a day ago I lived under Mount Mortar with my dad. When I was younger I was messing around near one of the newer additions and I think there was a cave-in, I didn't run away fast enough so…" he halted. "It must have been a rock."

She raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "So there are people living in Mount Mortar?"

Steel nodded. "Well I guess it makes sense. No-one from Mahogany would be so dumb." She smiled and held out a hand. "I'm Copper, nice to meet you."

Steel shook her hand and got up from the bed and sat down near the table. Her Pokémon had stopped threatening him with the pan and was now using it to fry some eggs. Copper caught him looking at it and introduced it as Lore the Chikorita.

"You mentioned living under Mount Mortar until yesterday, why did you leave to come to this?" she leant back on her chair and gestured around the room. Steel halted but then decided to show her the pokégear.

"Where did you get that?" her surprise was immediate. Pokégears hadn't been manufactured in ages.

"I found it outside the entrance. It contained a message from Professor Oak." Copper stood up in shock.

"What did it say!?" she asked leaning in excitedly.

"It was just talking about an underground bunker in the Indigo Plateau. That's where I'm going." Copper's eyes widened but then she looked at him sceptically.

"It's true." _I hope_, he added mentally.

"No it's not that. It's just... a pokégear, which hasn't been made in over a decade, happened to suddenly appear outside where you'd find it and it was _the_ professor Oak's."

Steel nodded and thought. "All I know is that I'm going to the Indigo city, but to do that I'll need to go through the rest of Johto."

"You'll need some sort of protection. Do you have your own Pokémon?" she asked, acting much more friendly now they'd affirmed that they weren't threats to each other. Steel reached inside his pocket but hesitated.

"Is it safe? We tried to enter together but it started coughing." she gestured around the room.

"There's no fog inside houses silly." she grinned; Steel blushed at his idiocy and fumbled around with the pokéball then let Brooke out. She appeared in a flash coughing and Steel began anxiously stroking her, hoping the coughing would pass. Copper furrowed her eyebrows, "Poor thing." she said.

Steel looked to Copper while continuing to comfort Brooke. "You seem to know a lot. Where did the fog come from?"

Copper breathed deeply and looked at the window. "I'm not too sure. I wasn't born yet when it first appeared but a Kimono girl told me the tale."

A shadow fell on her and she cleared her face of emotion and resuming the creepy, soft voice of a story teller. "The war had reached its peak and the people of Johto were becoming desperate. One young man sought the power to destroy the opposing region by calling upon the legendary guardians, Ho-oh and Lugia.

"It was between the two towers the man stood and the flying types came to his aid, but their power was great and the people feared what they could do. He was thwarted by a poison trainer who attacked the legendaries and the man. The legendaries left, having lost the connection when the summoned fell, but their curse remained. So dangerous was the fusion of air and poison, an everlasting fog plagued the town of Ecruteak."

Copper revelled in Steel's shocked face and she giggled to break the ice.

"Or so the story goes." Copper stood up and grabbed a small bottle from the kitchen counter. Copper handed Brooke some sweet smelling syrup and smiled just as sweetly at her when Brooke sat up and stopped shuddering. Brooke jumped into Steel's arms, quacking "_Totodile!_" merrily, and they both burst into joyful laughter.

"You've got to be careful. Ecruteak isn't the only place with fog you know." Copper warned. Steel looked up anxiously.

"Is there a way to protect Pokémon from it?"

"There's the cough syrup I just used or a handy mask like the one you have now." She glanced upwards in thought. "There might be some sort of berry that aids breathing but I'm not sure if the pokémart stocks them anymore."

"What's the pokémart?" Steel asked greenly but Copper smirked in response. She was silent but kept looking from Steel to Brooke, judging them.

"What?"

Copper chuckled. "How would you like to trained, trainer?"


	4. Chapter 3

Copper had handed Steel a grey coat so they were both camouflaged in the fog with their masks on and their Pokémon safely tucked away in their pokéballs.

He kept close to Copper in order not to lose her in the dense grey air and the two sneaked over to where the pokémart was supposed to be. There was a spinning blue sign that had corroded from a decade in noxious fog. They reached the doors but Copper halted and peered through the glass panels.

It was disorientating to see that it was so clear inside but so hard to see outside. They saw a frail, old cowering man inside with another blue dressed man raising a hand. His outfit had a blue jacket which was torn at the shoulders and revealed tight red sleeves. Steel noticed the zephyr emblem on the chest.

Steel sensed something was wrong when he understood what the raised fist meant. He rushed forward but was caught by Copper who gave him a sad shake of the head. Steel turned away for the impact and they stood as invisible statues when the man walked out with a certain arrogance that made Steel want to live up to his name and smack the attacker with a hammer.

Copper walked in and rushed to the shopkeeper who was on the floor with his head in his hands. She brought out Lore and commanded it to use sweet scent. The man's pained face relaxed and he smiled in a dazed way. "Paxton, what happened?" Copper fretted.

Paxton rose but was still smiling weirdly. "The man wanted some of the..." He raised a hand to his face and staggered. Copper guided him to counter and he leant on it, breathing heavily. "They took the berries," Copper frowned.

"Even the Kiris?" He nodded. She sighed and looked up to Steel who was still in shock. She smiled reassuringly at Paxton. "Do you have any pokéballs?" He nodded and straightened up, he was slowly becoming less confused and he kept massaging his cheek.

"Yes. They didn't _ask _for any today." The way he said 'ask' was full of bitterness. He looked up and down the shelves and passed five red and white balls to Copper who held out some small coins in exchange. He took the money and waved good-bye to the two teens.

They walked out and Steel had his head lowered sadly. "What's wrong?" Copper asked. Steel looked back in the direction of the mart and met her eyes incredulously.

"Why did he hit that old man?"

"They don't need Pokémon to enforce their rule anymore. Everyone's terrified of them and no-one's brave enough to stop them."

"But why did you stop me?" His tone changed from concerned to angry.

"I'm sorry," she was starting to get increasing annoyed, partly at Steel but partly because of pent-up rage from the lifetime in Ecruteak. "But if you'd attacked him, which I doubt you would have managed, they would have brought more and then they'd set some Fearow on you to claw your face."

Steel grimaced. "Fearow?"

Copper looked at him sideways and flapped her arms patronisingly. "Big, bad bird Pokémon," Steel rolled his eyes. Copper grabbed his, mercifully, uninjured, arm and dragged him out of the fog.

On entry to the clear air the two pulled down their masks and started breathing heavily. Steel looked back to the fog which had created a clear and surprisingly solid boundary. He looked to Copper who was brushing off her clothes and releasing Lore.

"It's that easy?" Steel asked incredulously. Copper wasn't facing him and seemed to have not heard. Copper crouched and allowed Lore to jump onto her shoulder. She turned around and grinned. "Release your totodile." she commanded and Steel opened the pokéball with increasing ease. Brooke smiled widely and Steel introduced her as Brooke.

Copper walked in slow circles around Brooke as she assessed her. "I'll guess it's a low level." Steel looked at her and she answered, getting used to his lack of knowledge. "Pokémon are ranked on power from one to one hundred. Your pokémon is obviously very young but you'd need a pokédex to verify. It probably only knows scratch and leer." Copper gestured to Brooke and pointed at a tree. "Command it to use scratch on that tree."

Steel looked unsurely at Brooke but pointed at the tree. "Use scratch!" Brooke ran at the tree and slashed at it, several marks were left on the bark but it was otherwise unimpressive. Steel gave Brooke an encouraging smile and she tried again and again and again until Copper told them to stop.

She smirked and told Steel about water gun. It would take some training but she could tell that Brooke was a quick and enthusiastic learner. It was funny to see Brooke stare at trees open mouthed but Copper scolded them whenever they laughed for too long. "Water gun!" Steel commanded and a jet of water burst from Brooke's mouth.

They all laughed in triumph and while Brooke doused every tree she could find Steel saw Copper heft a bag.

"Where are you going?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.

"With you of course," before he could say anything she started talking. "You'd die on your own even with a Pokémon as great as Brooke _and_ after all I've done for you, you owe me _and_ you've really got me interested about this so-called 'Indigo City'."

Steel didn't know what to say, he was perfectly fine with her coming with her but it was what she was leaving behind that worried him. He couldn't even begin to imagine how heartbroken his father was.

"What about family?"

"What family?" she said it calmly but her eyes made it clear that it would be _very_ dangerous for Steel to press further. He raised his hands in defeat and smiled.

Lore shot leaves into the air in victory and Steel was fascinated as he saw them disappear like they weren't really there. "Great!" Copper cried happily. It was too loud.

A man broke through the fog barrier and glared at Copper and Steel. He noticed Lore on Copper's head and threw something into the air.

A large brown bird appeared in a metallic flash and it cried out loudly. It spread it's lightly tinted wings and opened its large, dark pink beak intimidatingly. It had a crown of red spikes atop its head and Lore trembled.

"Fury attack!" The Zephyr ordered and the bird lunged at Copper.

"Fearow!" she exclaimed. She leapt out of the way and hit the ground hard. The bird overshot but turned to attack again. Steel was still and watching so he didn't expect the Zephyr to punch him.

He cried out and his hand went to his face where the Zephyr had hit it. Brooke growled at knocked the man off his feet with a blast of water.

"Poison powder!" Copper commanded as she jumped out of the way of the Fearow. Lore ran forwards and swung her leaf to spread the purple powder into the air. The Fearow halted its attack and began coughing. It fell to ground and Steel jumped to his feet.

"Tackle!" he pointed at the man and Brooke collided into him. It knocked the rising man off his feet once more and unconscious.

Copper, Lore, Steel and Brooke were all breathing heavily in the aftermath of battle. Copper smoothed her hair nonchalantly while Steel grinned at Brooke who quacked with triumph.

"We should go now." she breathed and this time, Steel had no qualms. They ran off into route 37.


	5. Chapter 4

Copper and Steel kept running through Route 37 and didn't stop until there was a wall of trees to hide behind. They stopped and stood as heavily breathing statues for a short moment until Copper dared to peek around the trees. Since Route 37 had been mostly straight she could still see the foggy entrance to the city which was clear of visible Zephyrs. She sighed in relief and turned back to Steel.

"No-one's looking for me. That means they haven't told the leaders." she thought aloud.

"What happens when they tell the leaders?" Steel asked worriedly but Copper patted his shoulder in a reassuring fashion.

"We'll be long gone."

They started strolling down the route and Steel looked to the pokégear and surveyed the map of Johto's routes as they walked. "If we turn off near here we should be able to reach Violet City before it gets too dark." he informed Copper and she stopped dead in her tracks, wide-eyed.

"Violet city?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, then it's a quick…" Copper grabbed his shoulders and shook him. She met his eyes and spoke so seriously it scared Steel.

"We cannot go to Violet City. It's the Zephyr capital and the moment they realise you're not one of them they'll kill you." she wasn't yelling or raising her voice and that's what really unnerved Steel. It forced him not to doubt a single one of her words.

Steel cleared his throat and tried you mimic her tone, "If we detour then it'll take _much_ longer and we'll have to spend a lot more time on dangerous grounds."

Copper nodded to show she agreed with him but her eyes told him undeniably that they couldn't go. "I've been there Steel, you haven't. I think you should trust me."

Steel frowned. Not even a day into his journey and he'd had to detour twice. Copper was adamant about going through Violet City but seeing Steel's dejected face was heartbreaking.

She smiled warmly. "Why don't I teach you how to use one of these?" she offered kindly, waving a pokéball at him.

He grinned enthusiastically despite the road to his goal becoming much longer but he'd realised it would be childish to continue the argument. Copper was right, she _did_ have more experience than him.

Copper spotted a patch of tall grass and gestured for Steel to stay silent. They sneaked up the grass and she threw out Lore's pokéball. Lore appeared and the battle started explosively.

Lore attacked the grass with razor leaf on Copper's command and an angry Pokémon burst out. It was a small and dark red fox with a beautiful wavy tail and fur. Its black eyes focused on Lore and it charged. Lore jumped and taunted the Pokémon like a bull and matador.

"Tackle!" Copper ordered and Lore ran towards it and they collided. The opposing Pokémon was sent flying across the grass. Copper glanced at Steel to check that he was watching and chucked one of the empty pokéballs at it before it could get up.

The Pokémon disappeared into the pokéball in a flash of red but Steel saw that Copper was not celebrating yet. The ball shook and whirred as it tried to escape but the ball made a final popping sound. Copper ran over and grabbed the ball then showed it to Steel with a smug smirk.

"And that's how you catch Pokémon."

She opened the pokéball and the Pokémon appeared. It looked indignant about being caught but Copper crouched to its level and greeted it with kindness.

"Vuull!" It grinned and Copper petted it.

"Boy?" She asked slowly, similar to Steel's first encounter with Brooke, "Girl?"

It yipped and Copper stroked its crimson fur. "I'm gonna call you Jolie, because it means beautiful." Jolie nodded and blew a small flame at the sky.

Lore walked up to Jolie and they seemed to introduce themselves to each other.

"So they can't talk?" Steel asked wistfully and Copper smiled weakly.

"They seem to understand English since they respond to our commands but they can't talk back. It's a shame. I wouldn't have felt as lonely if we could have conversations." Copper took Jolie's pokéball and snapped it onto her belt and Steel noticed a third. He thought about asking about it but he was beginning to understand that Copper had limits to her patience and was spending it all to teach him.

"Let's set up a small fire, Jolie can help." He grinned and Jolie trotted happily to a small area where she spun around and began to snooze.

"Uh, that's not helping…" he muttered but Copper juts laughed.

"You've got a lot to learn about Pokémon Steel." She started to break some branches off the trees when Steel called out Brooke.

"Use water gun!" he called and Brooke started enthusiastically shooting all the trees in sight. A few branches fell even though the trunks shuddered.

"Steel." she chastised. She huffed over to one of the trees and threw a twig at Steel. "These are wet now. They'll be terrible for firewood."

Steel rolled his eyes and heard a thud from behind him. He started to turn around but Copper hissed a warning, her pupils had contracted in fear.

"Don't…Move." she breathed and Steel bolted straight.

"What is it?" he whispered back but her mouth was now clamped shut. He slowly wheeled around and saw a bright yellow Pokémon lying beneath a tree. It breathed softly as if it was asleep.

Steel didn't see what was so threatening about it. Despite its size, sting and the needles on its black arms he couldn't see what was so scary. It had rounded insect wings like a bumble bee and a pointed yellow head with two black antennae.

He stepped forwards and Copper grabbed his shoulder and talked in a hushed voice in his ear.

"That's a Beedrill. It is the most violent Pokémon you'll find anywhere near here and it's part _poison_ type."

"It's asleep." He threw Copper off his shoulder and silently gestured for Brooke to advance. "Water gun!" he ordered and a jet of water shot at the Beedrill. It didn't react for a moment but then its wings started to buzz but Steel wasn't afraid. He had Brooke!

Before it could advance Steel commanded another water gun that knocked it back. It recovered and zoomed forwards.

"Tackle!" Brooke caught it in the stomach and the force hurled the Beedrill to the floor. The Beedrill was growing more enraged but also somewhat impressed. The local caterpie could never have fought like this.

It flew up and shot poison from its sting but its prey had run out of the way. It used poison sting again but the Totodile and human kept running. It buzzed angrily and flew quickly downwards in a powerful fury attack.

"Hold it!" Steel commanded and, with only a moment of second guessing, Brooke stayed still. The Beedrill was coming increasingly closer and Copper felt like screaming but she saw a look on Steel's face like no other. It was brave.

They Beedrill had already started buzzing triumphantly, surely this attack would faint the Totodile, but mere seconds away from collision the Totodile opened its jaw wide and in its final moments of consciousness it saw the blast of water.

Copper was shocked. A Beedrill, the most dangerous wild Pokémon she'd ever encountered, was fainted, was fainted by a day old trainer no less.

"Steel?" she was incredulous. Steel had thrown the pokéball and it clicked without any resistance. He jumped up with Brooke in triumph and Brooke quacked victoriously. He ran over and picked up the pokéball.

"And that's how you catch Pokémon." he repeated with a grin. He threw the pokéball but the Beedrill came out still fainted.

"The pokéball isn't a magic healing machine." she chided as Steel returned the beedrill.

"Too bad," he frowned. "How do you heal them then?"

Copper ticked off the options with her fingers, "Certain berries, potions, fresh water and the Pokémon centre."

Steel dug around in his bag and pulled out the packs of berries his dad had given him. "Would any of these work?"

Copper shook her head without looking, "No, you can't awaken them with berries. We'll have to head to the Pokémon centre in Goldenrod tomorrow."

Copper didn't mention revives for the moment because she wanted the beedrill to stay down for as long as it could. Steel looked dejectedly at the pokéball but tucked it away in his jacket's pocket.

He sat down next to Jolie and petted her. She opened a sly eye and blew embers at him. He jumped up and began patting the flames out and he heard Jolie snicker.

"You little…" he began but Copper interrupted him with a stern look.

"Language!" she warned and Steel sat down further away. Copper dropped all the collected sticks onto the grass and Jolie obediently lit it.

Steel flopped onto the grass and looked away from the two smug girls. He closed his eyes and thought about his father. He remembered sleepless nights and his father telling him to 'count mareep'. When he'd asked what a mareep was his father had answered sadly. _"The Pokémon I left behind."_ As Steel got older he had begun to understand what that meant. Nothing came out of the war unscathed, Pokémon included.

His eyes burst open and he sat up suddenly.

"What's the matter?" asked Copper, sitting up.

"Don't we need some sort of night watch? We're only a route away from Ecruteak."

"Yeah," she yawned and she threw out a Pokémon. It was bird-like and brown. It had a cream crest which looked like a monobrow. It had a small pink beak and beady eyes which glared at Copper.

"Conrad. Call out if you spot a Zephyr or wild Pokémon or my new friend will use ember." she commanded coldly and pointed to Jolie. She fell back onto the ground and faced away from the flying type. Steel looked from Conrad to Copper, trying to figure out why they regarded each other like they hated each other.


	6. Chapter 5

Steel and Copper were hiding behind a tree near the Goldenrod gate. They spoke in hushed voices to not be heard by the guards that stood close by.

"Goldenrod is 'run' by the Plains, not the Zephyrs, but they, like everyone else in Johto, fear them." Copper looked inside her bag and pulled out a familiar uniform. Steel stared at her with narrow eyes.

"When did you get all this? I thought you went with me on a whim." Copper stared at the gate calculatingly.

"I was going that day anyway. I'd already stolen the uniform in case I ran into more of the bastards." she said venomously. "You just gave me somewhere to go and someone to go with." she nudged him affectionately. "Thanks for that."

She disappeared behind a tree and later emerged dressed like a Zephyr. Just looking at the blue cloth, red sleeves and silver emblem made the memory of Paxton flash through Steel's mind and rage shot through him.

Suddenly Copper grabbed his wrists and pulled them behind his back. He cried out with the pain of his injured arm being touched but Copper's face wasn't sympathetic as she hissed at him.

"Keep in character!" she called out Conrad and talked to it with the same hate as last night. "Stay still and look intimidating."

She shoved Steel into view and the guards tensed.

"What 'cha doin' here Zephyr!?" said the taller of the guards. They didn't seem to have must of a uniform except for the white jackets with a small yellow badge pinned to them. The guard in question was overweight, wore reflective sunglasses and had a yellow suit under the jacket with red, fire-like decorations. The second one was blonde and had tied a crimson ribbon around his forehead to match his trousers.

Copper stood up straight. "I need to pass Plain."

"Just go to Violet City!" The second guard shouted, his elbows were bent and his fists clenched. Steel began to worry about the fear tactic.

"You have no right to interfere with _our_ business. Do you want Goldenrod attacked?" she threatened and the two backed up shortly. They'd heard what happened during the Ecruteak battle and Violet City was so close...

"I still don't see why you can't go through Violet. You can't have any business in Goldenrod _or_ Azalea." the juggler was testing how much information he could get out of this tiny Zephyr.

"More like Ilex." the fire breather gave a pitying look to the captive. He wouldn't survive a minute in the forest. The fire breather shifted his weight nervously.

"Can't you fly around?" he asked looking at the Noctowl. "Blair doesn't like your type coming through."

"Tell Blair that I'll be gone quickly." There was a long silence while the two guards weighed the pros and cons of letting her through.

The juggler let out a Pokémon that looked surprisingly like a pokéball and it crackled with electricity. "We'll keep you under guard as you walk, _quickly_." He iterated. Copper frowned internally. They couldn't follow them but she nodded and just hoped to ditch them as soon as possible.

The Voltorb rolled to the gate and zapped a nearby panel. The light turned from red to green and the two guards escorted Steel and Copper through the gate.

The four walked down the long gravel path that stretched from the gate to Goldenrod in silence while other Plain members stared at her and Steel. Copper hated wearing the uniform and hated the looks that people gave her even more. _She_ was supposed to be the one glaring, not visa-versa.

They emerged into Johto's largest city and Steel marvelled before remembering that he was supposed to be a prisoner. A large bridge ran above their heads and the size of the buildings astounded him. Skyscrapers scraped the sky and the numbers of houses in sight were amazing. Though the grimness that the grey clouds reflected onto the city gave it a sense of tension and the lack of people increased the tension tenfold.

Then the metaphorical light bulb lit up above his head. No-one was around except them and the two guards. Steel stumbled and Copper brought his head up to her face so she could whisper a warning while still looking threatening.

"Close your eyes." then louder so said, "Move it!" the juggler's voltorb had been recalled but Conrad still flew above their heads.

"Hypnosis!" she yelled and they clenched their eyes shut. However the two guards foolishly looked up to her Pokémon and their eyes were bombarded with the psychic light. They collapsed to the ground snoring and Copper released Steel who immediately began massaging his now stiff shoulder. Copper grabbed the hem of the Zephyr uniform and tore it off, revealing her regularly grey clothes underneath. Now they both looked inconspicuous, except for the fact that they were outside next to two unconscious Plains members.

She called Conrad back and clipped the pokéball back onto her belt. She paused and looked around then pointed to the iconic red roofed building. "That's the Pokémon centre. Let's go."

They sprinted past a neon purple building and burst into the centre. Steel looked around the empty room and to his dismay saw no-one around. He strolled to the desk and noticed a machine. "Just put the pokéballs in the machine and press the button there." she advised and she passed him her pokéballs. The five glowed and the machine beeped which hopefully meant it was working. Once the glowing stopped they grabbed their respective pokéballs and Steel called out his beedrill.

Copper dashed across the room while Steel beamed at the yellow bug. "Hey, I'm Steel. Are you a girl?" he asked and the beedrill shook its head and buzzed. "Cool." he tapped his foot while he thought of names and then snapped his fingers. "How about Lancer?" It buzzed happily then they heard an unfamiliar sound.

"Face me!" ordered an angry but motherly voice. The three turned around slowly and saw a gun pointed at them.

The owner was a middle-aged woman with pink hair that fell in untidy strands from her messy bun. She was a dirty white and pink dress. "What are you doing in my Pokémon centre?" she demanded and Steel raised his hands.

"Just healing my beedrill." the woman's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I saw you two knock out the two guards and come over," she pointed the gun at Copper, "You're a Zephyr!"

Copper's eyes were those of a scared Stantler, "No! I just stole the uniform to get through Goldenrod!" but the woman wasn't having it.

"What about the Noctowl? It answers to you."

"Stole him too." Copper exclaimed but the woman laughed hollowly.

"Then why does he answer to you?" beads of sweat ran down her forehead. Steel should have intervened but he was just a curious as the woman. Copper didn't reply so the woman hefted the gun more threateningly.

"I don't have all day! This thing is pretty loud and attracts an awful lot of attention."

"He's a family pokémon!" Copper burst out and the look on the woman's face showed that she'd made up her mind.

"But I'm not Zephyr! I ran away from Ecruteak with him. Please believe me!" Copper pleaded and at last Steel intervened.

"I can vouch for her! She took out a Zephyr and his fearow, a Zephyr wouldn't have done that."

The woman glared at him but finally lowered the gun and brushed the strands of hot pink hair out of her face. "My name is Bliss and I'm the nurse here." Copper sighed in relief but shot up straight when Bliss turned on her. "You're not out of the woods yet," Bliss looked at one of the walls slyly. "To prove your true allegiance to me, just do me a favour." she pointed the gun to the wall she'd been looking at. "In the old gym is Blair. Just beat him in a Pokémon battle and I'll let your pass."

"Why can't _you_ face him?" Steel asked.

"No-one in Goldenrod has Pokémon anymore. They were all taken away by Blair."

"Fine, what does he look like?" Steel asked.

"Pale curly hair, white jacket, yellow badge and has a raticate."

"Normal types," Copper mused. She nodded. "We'll do it."

Steel nodded determinedly. He would help her. "We'll fight him."

The nurse smiled and pushed them to the doors which opened with a _whoosh_. "Go!"

The gym reeked of smoke and there were remnants of pillars everywhere. Steel guessed that there used to be some sort of decoration or puzzle here but it had been demolished.

The gym was littered with chatting guards and next to the far wall there was a chair. Steel could see it was meant to be some sort of throne considering the shape and the regard the people gave it but in his opinion it was just…. simple.

On the 'throne' was the source of smoke. A cigarette hung between the teeth of Blair who was lying in the chair with an air of arrogance and his curls were so extravagant that Steel wasn't sure if it was a dare or something.

The guards immediately noticed the duo but as they advanced Steel exclaimed, "We want to battle Blair." Blair sat up and smirked, waving his hand to call off the Plains.

"Cool, but what's in it for me?" he asked twirling the lit cigarette in his hand. Steel looked quizzically to Copper who steeped forwards confidently.

"A double pokéduel." she suggested and his smirk grew larger as he stood up, revealing his impish physique which did not make him more intimidating.

"Two on two. One from each and two from me." he affirmed while walking closer and pulling out two pokéballs from his belt. He gestured with his hands and all the guards parted to clear an area for battle. Blair walked to the gym's edge and called out two pokémon.

"Go Raticate! Go Furret!" he called and two pokémon appeared in flashes. The furret was long and slim with cute little ears and feet but a menacing look that didn't suit it very well. The raticate's angry expression _did_ suit it. Its rat tail whipped the air and its large front teeth gnashed.

Steel and Copper both had two pokémon but they mutually decided to play it safe.

"Brooke!" Steel hurled her pokémon and she appeared quacking happily. Copper rolled her eyes and threw out Lore who glared at the furret and raticate.

Blair stood slanted and he placed a fist on his hip and sneered. "I go first since _you_," he pointed in an exaggerated fashion to Steel and Copper and spoke slowly as if they were toddlers, "and then you can retaliate all you want with your _wittle _totodile and chikorita."

Brooke and Lore growled and Steel braced for the battle. He felt dread in the pit of his stomach as it dawned on him that, win or lose; it wouldn't end up well for them. They were surrounded by Plain members with their prideful leader in front of them. But he stood up and glared at Blair. Whatever it takes to help.

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><p><strong>Hey guys :)<strong>

**Finally we're getting to a more exciting bit. Sorry for all the exposition heavy chapters lately but Steel's new to the world and we couldn't have him suddenly know everything about it.**

**I'm gonna try upload Chapter 6 ASAP and please review to tell me how you want it to be improved. You're the ones reading it. :)**


	7. Chapter 6

Blair observed the two challengers for a moment until he smirked with satisfaction and called out his commands.

"Use quick attack on the totodile!" he commanded and Steel's eyes widened in shock as the two advanced on Brooke.

"Dodge!" Steel cried and Brooke leapt out of raticate's way just to collide into furret who knocked her to the floor. "Tackle!" he ordered and she rose and charged at the raticate.

"Help with poison powder!" Copper yelled and Lore bounded over to where Blair was ganging up on Brooke. Lore's leaf whipped up the purple powder and scattered it over the furret.

The moment the powder touched the furret's brown fur, its eyes drooped and it began spluttering.

"Defense curl!" Blair ordered and it curled up into a striped ball. "Use bite on chikorita!"

The raticate ran at Lore and sank his teeth into her neck but then was blasted off by Brooke's water gun. Steel saw Blair becoming more enraged and began to worry.

"Lore, use razor leaf while it's down!" Copper ordered and Steel commanded Brooke to use water gun on the raticate but Blair called out a move.

"Follow me!" he shouted and the furret glowed white. Steel was confused until he saw the attack's veer towards furret who dodged them with his flexible body.

"Damn it!" Copper cursed and she ordered a tackle which the furret kept dodging.

"Swords dance," Blair called and they saw a faint pair of crossed swords appear beneath raticate and he danced.

"Poison powder!" Copper called desperately but Blair ordered the furret to use follow me once more so the attack did nothing.

"Swords dance," Blair trilled and the raticate started dancing once more.

"Try tackle," called Steel but even Brooke was veering towards the furret. It didn't dodge it in time so it was sent flying. Copper pumped her fists triumphantly and Lore let the razor leaves fly toward the raticate who was pummeled by the grass attack.

"Good job!" Steel grinned but Blair's confident look was unnerving.

"Use crunch!" Blair said and Copper didn't have time to react as the raticate dashed towards Lore with unbelievable speed and power and sank his massive teeth into her again.

Lore cried out, as did Copper but she stopped abruptly. "Poison powder!" she called and Steel watched as Blair's face fell and poison flew into raticate's face.

Its face grew purple and its eyes were clenched shut in pain. Steel and Copper grinned victoriously but then Lore crumpled. She fell to the floor and the sound echoed throughout the gym. Steel's pupils contracted in fear and Blair sneered as Copper called Lore back.

"Two-one." he mocked and Steel growled at him.

"Water gun!" Steel shouted and Brooke blasted the dazed raticate with water so he flew across the room.

"Quick attack!" Blair called again and the dazed pokémon charged at Brooke.

"Water gun on the floor!" Steel directed and Brooke let loose the water at the feet. The force sent her upwards and they grinned at the confused pokémon which stared at Brooke.

Blair tensed and internally cursed. Raticate and furret only knew physical moves so all he could do was watch the challenger's plan unveil itself.

Brooke began to glow white as she fell and as she remembered Lore the glow became red. Blair was wide eyed.

"Use follow me!" Blair cried desperately but the furret didn't have time to execute the move because Brooke had collided with the floor and the following shockwave blasted raticate and furret off their feet.

"Rage…" marveled Copper. Steel heard and surveyed the battlefield.

"Use rage!" Steel ordered and Brooke began to glow again. The raticate tried to attack and the furret began to retreat but Brooke had already got to them. She started to punch them with increase power until she sent the furret across the room with an uppercut that left him unconscious.

Blair staggered. "What!? Use crunch!" he commanded and it ran up to Brooke with its jaw wide open.

"Hold it!" Steel called and they stood still with sly faces. The raticate bared his fangs and was within striking distance. "GO!" he yelled and Brooke let loose the punch she'd been saving.

It hit the raticate's fangs and there was a momentary silence as the shock kicked in. Steel was horrified but then remembered that Blair was a gang leader. Its fangs partially shattered and Blair watched incredulously as his raticate slumped.

He hadn't called his pokémon back yet. He stood there glaring at Steel who was almost as shocked as Blair was. The Plain members looked around nervously. Blair had been challenged numerous times in a pokéduel but no-one had actually won before.

Steel didn't know what to do now but apparently Copper did so he had no objections when she stepped forwards.

"As per the pokéduel rules, the winner shall decide your fate."

Blair wagged his finger patronizingly. "Do you know where you are?" he laughed and he gestured around the room and all the members that were in it.

"We had a deal!" Steel yelled but Blair rolled his eyes.

"I'm not gonna give up Goldenrod just because a kid got lucky with a lab Pokémon." he chuckled but his eyes were angry.

"Lab Pokémon?"

"You never catch a totodile or chikorita. You only get them from the professors." he held up his hands. "It doesn't matter anyway." he turned his back and the guards advanced.

Steel and Copper looked around but they couldn't see a way out. There were guards everywhere. Brooke and Steel tensed but then a gunshot rang out. The sound shot through the gym and they heard a scream. Everyone turned to the shot's source and they found Bliss at the entrance with her gun smoking.

She blew some hair out of her eyes and Steel noticed more people behind her. "I'm so _freaking _sick of you!" she pointed the gun at Blair and his eyes widened in terror.

"You have five minutes to leave _our _city or the next shot will be going through your head!" she growled. Blair swallowed every cocky quip, his sneer shrank into a terrified 'o'. He looked around nervously but all the Plains were either looking at their shoes or were tearing their jackets off and standing behind Bliss.

The silence was thick with hate but Blair still stood still.

"Get out of our city Blair!" Bliss roared and she fired her gun into the air again. Her eyes were frigid as she glared at the former ruler.

He began to move with small robotic movements but he was forced to break into a run and the crowd began to jeer and drive him out of the city while cheering in triumph.

He sprinted out of the city and disappeared into the thick trees of the Ilex forest. The mob cheered and Bliss, who was at the front, turned to face them and was miraculously heard.

"Goldenrod city is ours!" she called out victoriously to the crowds and they shouted in celebration. Bliss waited for it to die down and resumed talking.

"But Blair was not a lone man," she observed the crowd with a disconcerting stare. "All those who aligned themselves with Blair and the Plain gang must and will be punished. "A good portion of the crowd began shuffling nervously. "All Plains, step forward."

People stepped back as the Plains revealed themselves and the formed rows in front of Bliss who gestured for them to kneel before her.

"You shall surrender your Pokémon and are sentenced to thirty days service. All who refuse to comply or break the rules will be thrown into the forest with Blair."

The crowd watched in surprise as they all formed a line and gave Bliss their Pokémon, their moods ranging from grudging to apologetic.

Bliss' face transformed back to sweet and she beamed. "Let us celebrate our independence!"

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><p><strong>Whoo! Goldenrod's freed! Just 6 more places to go... yay?<strong>

**I try to write on weekdays but expect the next chapter to come out in a few days. Don't worry, I'm writing any time I can :D**

**As always, please review with how you think you can improve the story, this story is for you!**


	8. Chapter 7

Steel and Copper sat on the comfortable Pokémon centre sofa which Bliss had pushed into the space in between the staircase to where she and several others stayed and the desk. They listened to little ditty the machine made as Bliss tapped numerous buttons on the computer nearby. She looked over at them and grinned.

"Good news! Your Pokémon are all better and you're fine to leave Goldenrod City whenever you feel like it."

Steel and Copper reached over to the machine and picked up their pokéballs. Copper looked up to Bliss.

"Where would you recommend we go? How would we get to New Bark Town without crossing Violet City?" Bliss stared at the map behind them thoughtfully.

"Hmmm... If you go _enroute_ then the only way would be through Mahogany City then Blackthorn but Mahogany's walled."

Steel's face fell but Bliss leant over and pointed at the map, tracing the path with her finger.

"You'd go past route 34; through the Ilex Forest then you'd have to get past Azalea Town and Union Cave. After that you'd split off from the main past to route 32. From there you'd fly to Cherrygrove city and..."

Steel interrupted, "Why can't we just fly straight there?"

"Pokémon can be very strong but beedrill and noctowl are shorter than you two and couldn't carry you very far. There's a move called 'fly' which gives them the strength to carry anything to any location but Pokémon need to be taught it and I don't know where to find the disks."

Steel nodded in understanding and looked to the map again. "What's Azalea and Cherrygrove like?" Bliss shrugged.

"I haven't left Goldenrod decades. I don't know but I have heard about the Ilex forest. It's full of parasects, paras, oddish, venonat and several other types of bug Pokémon so I'd be careful."

"Yeah, there's a lot of Pokémon who know moves that cause poisoning and paralysis." Copper affirmed and as she was standing up the automatic doors opened.

The man wore a turquoise shorts, sandals and had a white sleeveless shirt with a large woven hat. He looked around and met eyes with Steel. Bliss quickly scooted in between the two and looked at him coldly.

"Why are you here Arnold?" she asked and he avoided her gaze.

"I'm here to reward the two who drove out Blair." he said weakly.

"What do you have?" she demanded and Arnold held out a pokéball and a small sachet in his shaking hands. Bliss rolled her eyes exasperatedly and repeated herself.

"Oh, um... It's a bag full of healing items for their journey through the forest and a Pokémon for one of them."

Bliss raised an eyebrow curiously.

"What Pokémon? Didn't you give them all up?" Arnold's eyes widened, a bug caught in its own web.

"It's one of Blair's. Stolen from an Olivine passer-by." he held out the pokéball and a Pokémon burst out.

It was almost four feet tall and was mostly a light pink, not unlike Bliss' dress, and it was a black hood-like marking around its face and ears. It had a pale yellow udder and black hooves.

"Its name is Charlie and it was entrusted to me but I want to give it to those who liberated Goldenrod." the miltank waddled over to Steel and Copper but was cut off by Bliss whose eyes narrowed.

"You were still harbouring an illegal Pokémon." Arnold's eyes were wide in terror and he fell to his knees.

"Please Bliss!" he begged, "I promised Charlotte that it would be in good hands!" Steel stepped forwards.

"Bliss, come on." Steel pleaded but he backed up as she turned on him.

"That _Plain_ broke the rules that were set for all his kind!" Bliss said the word 'Plain' the way Copper would say 'Zephyr'. Steel noticed Copper sitting down and turned away.

"But he's repented. He was only caring for the Pokémon, no harm done?"

Bliss scowled, "I'll respect your opinion and not banish him." she snapped around to face him, "But he'll be on probation from now to the end of the thirtieth day."

Steel nodded appreciatively and crouched to meet the miltank's eyes.

"Hello, I'm Steel."

Arnold spoke up, "Her name is Charlie." Steel looked back to Copper.

"Do you want Charlie or should I?" he asked and she smiled softly.

"I think you should have her. You _were_ the one to knock out Blair's Pokémon." Steel walked over to Arnold and received Charlie's pokéball. Bliss snatched the sachet and tossed it to Copper.

"And this is for you." she said cheerily but Copper was beginning to see past her smiles. The façade she'd made was merely a thin veil once you'd seen her switch a few times.

"I guess we'll be going now." Steel said and he grinned once more at Charlie. Bliss bowed shortly and waved at them as they walked out of the Pokémon centre awkwardly, not feeling comfortable with her behind them.

They crossed the border and Copper breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness she's behind us."

Steel gazed unsurely behind them. "Do you think they'll be safe in her hands?"

Copper looked back nervously. "What choice do they have?" she said solemnly and they walked in silence for a moment.

"Copper, back there you said that you stole Conrad but then you said it was a family Pokémon. Which one is it?"

Copper's eyes narrowed angrily but she'd decided that it wasn't worth keeping secrets from Steel if they'd be travelling together.

"Both. I stole them from Janus and Rose, the two faced bastard and the thorn in my side."

Steel frowned scandalously, how could she say that about a family member?

"They're the leaders of the Zephyr movement in Ecruteak and I despise them. I stole Conrad and a uniform from them months before I met you. I'd always wanted to leave them but I was never sure. I found myself at the border many times but could never fully convince myself to leave.

"When I was very young, I lived in Violet city and that's when I learnt they were cruel. When I met you is when I knew I could leave."

Steel didn't know what to say. His father had been an idol to him his entire life and he couldn't have ever imagined running away.

The two face the wall of trees and Copper shrugged nonchalantly.

"Don't worry about me Steel. I'm not them. I'd fight them personally myself if I had to prove that to you."

The tree's formed a darkness that even the midday sun couldn't penetrate but for some reason, Steel wasn't scared. The knowledge of Copper's secret had created a bond between them that neither of them could explain. Until a few days ago Copper had despised humanity for their seemingly endless cruelty but Steel's kind heart had made her want to be near him and Copper's strength and fortitude amazed Steel. They wanted to emulate each other and achieve their united goal.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the short chapter that didn't have much happening but I like to end the chapters at each important place change so:<strong>

_**Next time on Pokémon Rust: The Ilex Forest!**_

**As always, hope you enjoyed and please review with tips to make the fic better. This is for you!**

**(P.S. I've drawn Steel and hope you like it: art/Steel-Design-498096279)**


	9. Chapter 8

The forest was tall and so dark it was oppressive. The barely seen trees were shadowy monsters that spooked Steel with ever glance. It has clear that a path had been cut out of the trees long ago but the grass was tall and every so often he would trip over a sapling. At least Copper was here though despite putting her on such a high pedestal after all she'd done, such as guiding him, agreeing to travel through dangerous cities and helping him defeat Blair, he had to remember that she was only 15, probably not the whole year older than Steel.

They trudged through the forest cautiously when Copper stopped and called out Jolie and snapped a branch of a young tree. Jolie lit it with ember and Copper raised the torch which cast long shadows.

"Did you know that if you hit the trees, sometimes Pokémon fall out? Dangerous Pokémon like beedrill?"

"Yeah…" he said suspiciously, "That's how I caught Lancer." she nodded silently and slyly.

"Good, tackle!" she yelled and out of nowhere Jolie ran at a tree which shook violently on impact. Something fell to the overgrown ground with a _thud_ and she turned to Steel and smirked.

"Here's my revenge!" she dashed away and left Steel alone with the Pokémon.

"Copper!" he fumed and she quickly brought Lancer out for the beedrill's first fight with Steel. The Pokémon hopped around to face Steel and Lancer with angry eyes.

It was about two foot and looked like a dark green pinecone with two eyes and it hummed in an enraged way. Steel decided to attack this thing quickly so he yelled, "Fury attack!" and Lancer advanced, his pin arms stabbing rapidly.

The Pokémon clearly wasn't very able at moving so it just had to take Lancer's stabs which grew more powerful with each blow. Lancer hovered back and the Pokémon jumped at it.

"_Pineco_!" it cried but Lancer dodged its tackle attack.

"Poison sting!" Steel commanded and Lancer unleashed a swam of poison needles onto the pineco. It was blasted back and the Pokémon didn't get up. Steel and Lancer cried out in victory and Copper appeared from behind a tree.

"Aww, it didn't know self-destruct." she walked back over to Steel and chuckled, "I wanted to see it blow up on you."

"Blow up?" Steel asked in a terrified voice.

"Don't worry, it just glows and released a shockwave that knocks it out which might have well have been an explosion." Steel sighed in relief. The thought of a Pokémon exploding... he shuddered with visible disgust and walked near to Lancer. The constant buzzing of its wings was loud in his ears but he trusted that Lancer would be able to hear him.

"Fly at Copper." he breathed and Lancer stayed still for a while until Copper became suspicious.

"What's going on?" she asked with a smile and that's when Lancer decided to charge. Her eyes widened as Lancer collided with her and she was knocked back onto the muddy grass. She smirked and accepted the challenge.

She hurled a pokéball and yelled "Ember!" Lancer dodged the pokéball which flew towards him and Jolie burst out spewing fire at Lancer.

"Fury attack!" Steel ordered and Lancer darted forwards but was caught in Jolie's rain of fire. If his Pokémon had been hit like that by a Zephyr or Blair he would have been angry but throughout this battle he couldn't stop smiling.

"Roar!" Copper commanded and Lancer was blown away from the pure sound that was emitting from Jolie's small mouth, even Steel had to dig in his heels.

"Use pursuit!" Steel called unsurely, during Lancer's check-up Bliss had told him all of Lancer's moves, Poison sting, Fury attack, Twineedle and Pursuit.

Lancer heard and with power granted by the attack he sped up and reached Jolie who he knocked over with a dark tackle.

"Quick attack!" Copper ordered while Lancer was still close and Jolie jumped at Lancer with impressive recovery. Lancer held his ground and shot Jolie with a poison sting that thankfully didn't poison her.

"Now use confuse ray!" she called and Lancer couldn't avoid the light that floated from Jolie to Lancer's mind. Its wings were starting to beat irregularly and when Steel ordered a twineedle it tackled the ground and did obvious damage to itself.

"He's confused now!" Copper called and then Jolie spat embers at Lancer who dizzily failed to dodge them.

"Twineedle! Come on Lancer, don't let _Jolie_ beat you!" Steel said it like a insult because he still hadn't forgiven Jolie's attitude from route 36. Lancer shook its head determinedly and shot two large needles at Jolie who, in her arrogance, didn't notice them.

Steel beamed triumphantly and Lancer buzzed in victory. Copper walked over to Jolie and let the Pokémon climb onto her shoulder.

Copper grinned proudly at Steel, "Great work Steel," she said sincerely, "maybe next time we battle I won't go easy on you."

Steel chuckled, "Don't say that, you were fighting hard." he chastised but she smirked.

"I could have just used ember all the time."

"How would that have changed anything?"

Copper looked at him oddly. He battled so naturally that she often found herself forgetting he'd only been a trainer for three days."Moves have types and so do Pokémon. Brooke is water; Lancer is a bug and poison type while Lore is grass and Jolie's fire.

"Each type has a counterpart which is either super effective or not very. Ember's fire and fire beats bug so you would have lost soon."

Steel nodded in understanding and pressed her for more details as they once again resumed walking. She gave more examples and Steel was not happy to find out that she had several advantages against him.

Though sunlight didn't breach the vast thicket of trees in the first place, Steel felt that it was becoming night and they stopped to set up a small camp. The forest was dark and seemingly empty but every second they stayed gave Steel shivers like he was being watched. He and Copper were beginning to drift off when a thought suddenly occurred to Steel.

"Where's Blair?" he asked but Copper didn't even open her eyes as she answered.

"It's not a large forest and we spent that night in Goldenrod so he's probably gone by now." She yawned loudly and tried falling asleep again but Steel felt uncomfortable in the forest. He couldn't shake the feeling they were being watched by something. They lay in silence but weren't having much luck in getting to sleep. The silence allowed Steel's mind to wander and he found himself constantly thinking of Bliss and how she treated that man.

"Copper?" he whispered, checking is she was awake.

"Yes?" she asked exasperatedly. Steel rolled onto his back and watched the shadows sway.

"What did you think of Bliss?" Copper paused.

"Do you want the truth? I'm worried about Goldenrod. I mean Blair was obviously not the right choice and Bliss was there but…"

"She doesn't seem right for the job." Steel finished. He rolled to face Copper and had now accepted that he wouldn't be getting a lot of sleep that night.

"What types were Raticate and Furret? Did we have any advantages?" he wondered, still not getting the possibility of facing Blair again out of his head.

"They were both normal types. Normal was the theme in Goldenrod so I guess he wanted to keep it."

"So we _didn't_ have any advantages." Steel confirmed and Copper nodded.

"We would have if he'd used a pidgey or something. There aren't any pure flying types so for the most part they're part normal." she frowned as she started to connect some dots. "He probably _did_ have a flying type and Violet city's no too far away…" she thought aloud and then she shot upright.

"Damn!" she exclaimed and Steel sat up.

"What?" Copper faced him and smacked her forehead.

"He's joined the Zephyrs! Blair's told them about _us_!"

Steel's face fell, he wanted to deny it but the dots were already connected.

"Damn." he echoed and they flopped back onto the grass.

"Maybe we shouldn't have liberated Goldenrod." Steel said meekly as he faced away. "Maybe we should have just passed. That way Bliss wouldn't be in charge and Blair would be confined in the city and not working for the most evil people in Johto."

Copper frowned. "All our actions will have consequences we couldn't forsee but we'll have to just accept that and roll with the punches, landing as many as we can until we reach the Indigo city."

Steel sighed, "Maybe."

Steel wasn't sure when he fell asleep but he'd definitely heard rustling at the mention of Indigo city.

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><p><strong>Once again sorry for the chapter with pretty much nothing happening. :P<strong>

**Don't worry, next time _will_ be interesting...hopefully.**

**I'll try to write A.S.A.P. and chapter 9 will be out.**


	10. Chapter 9

Steel woke up with something standing on his chest and he was frigid and it glared at him with small red eyes. It was round and blue but had tufts of leaves sprouting out of its head.

"Copper!" he whispered hurriedly and she groaned as she woke up slowly. Steel rolled his eyes, "Copper!" he hissed and she turned over. She noticed the Pokémon on his chest and shot up.

"_Oddish_!" it cried and the Pokémon's leaves waved, spreading golden powder. Steel clenched his eyes shut and held his breath. He felt the weight lift off his chest and squinted through one eye to see what was going on. He recoiled as pain stabbed his eye but he'd seen that the Pokémon had been kicked away by Copper.

He scrambled to his feet and pulled on his goggles and face mask but still kept his eye closed. "Brooke, use water gun!" he called as he threw the pokéball and Brooke burst out already firing. It hit the oddish and hurled it against a tree.

"Scratch!" he ordered and Brooke advanced quickly, flailing her claws rapidly. The oddish slumped and Steel chucked one of the empty pokéballs at the unconscious Pokémon.

"Steel," Copper moaned and he turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

"What?"

"You'll have two up on me." Steel shrugged and looked back to the quivering pokéball.

"If it fails I won't try again." but the pokéball clicked with a satisfying beep. Steel picked it up and placed it inside his pocket. "Plus don't you have Conrad."

Copper's face darkened, "He doesn't count." she took a calming breath and smiled. "At least you won't be dependent on Lore for status moves anymore."

Steel looked around the forest, "Let's try get to a town to heal up Oddish."

"We can try but if there's someone like Bliss at the desk we're just leaving."

Steel rolled his eyes and started strolling across the grass. It was lighter than when they'd woken up so it must have been close to midday if light was breaking through even a little bit. They didn't encounter any more Pokémon but Lancer and Jolie travelled alongside them just in case. The grass was sodden with dew and mud now decorated their shoes but Steel kept looking as his feet. He often looked down while he walked to avoid stepping on a caterpie or weedle but as they continued down the overgrown path he saw tracks similar to a shoeprint.

Every so often Steel glanced around to check the trees but he stopped after Copper called him paranoid for the twelfth time. Copper was certain that Blair had already gone but Steel couldn't see how she could be. It had taken several hours of walking to reach the end of the tree labyrinth though it probably would have taken fewer if they hadn't taken a wrong turn or two.

The sudden sunlight blinded the two and they stumbled onto a dirt path shielding their eyes and squinting. Just as his eyes were beginning to adjust after the day in darkness they were confronted by two people.

They looked similar enough that they might have been brothers but not twins. They both had short dark hair and moss green eyes but one was taller and had glasses. The one with glasses was looking at a notebook and writing something down. They both had Pokémon behind them; there was one that was sort of like red and cream version of beedrill with blue eyes but was smaller and a lot less aggressive looking. The other was a red and black spider with striped legs and a horn. Copper recognised them as a ledian and ariados.

"Names?" the other brother asked while the one with the glasses wrote quickly but Steel and Copper were hesitant. The brother noticed and sighed exasperatedly.

"It's mandatory for all passer-byes to tell us who they are. _We_ don't want Zephyrs rampaging through Azalea."

Copper internally gulped. If they connected her to her parents, looked through her bag or noticed Conrad it would be like Goldenrod again.

"I'm Steel." Steel looked to Copper and gestured for her to tell the man her name.

"Copper." she answered quietly hoping that if he heard it quietly he wouldn't connect the dots. The one with the glasses wrote their names down and looked up.

"Do you have any Pokémon with you?" he asked and Steel nodded while Copper fumed. Years of hiding in Mt. Mortar meant that he didn't know what the people were like so sometimes he was too honest. It made him a better person that Copper often envied but also someone who Copper wanted to smack.

He looked over his glasses to Copper with a raised eyebrow. "And you?"

The man's eyes were very analytical and Copper felt unnerved by them, he gave her an unspoken warning that it would be very dangerous to lie.

"Yes."

"What are they?" his voice was a bored monotone; he'd probably done this several times beforehand.

"Totodile,"

"Water type…" he mused as he wrote it down.

"Miltank and oddish,"

"Normal and grass/poison…" his voice was getting irritated like he was waiting for something that hadn't come yet.

"And Beedrill,"

"Poison/bug…" he said approvingly, "If you must use a Pokémon you may only use your beedrill." he pointed with his pen to behind him. "The Pokémon centre's there."

Copper caught the connection and tapped her thigh nervously, wondering about when they found she didn't have what they were looking for.

"What Pokémon do you have?" asked the other brother.

"Vulpix, chikorita and noctowl," she heard it being written down and then the second one stepped to the side unblocking the ledian and ariados' view of Copper.

"String shot and confuse ray," the brothers ordered and their Pokémon attacked. Webb shot at Copper and knocked her back, her arms were tied so she could do nothing as she fell to the ground with a _thud_.

Steel started to protest but then the ledian attacked. Its blue eyes glowed and it sent a glowing white orb at Copper. It hit the spot between her eyes and they unfocused. Steel was going forward when the brother with the glasses held out his arm and stopped him.

"It would be wise not to interfere unless you wish to go where she's going." his voice held so much threat that Steel was forced to remain still as the ariados and other brother dragged Copper away.

"Where are you taking her!?" Steel growled but the man was not intimidated. He pointed with his pen in a bored way to the north east of the town.

"The Slowpoke well. There they'll mine for the coal and try to earn their freedom."

"Their freedom!? You kidnapped them!"

"They broke the rules of our town and we had to right to reprimand them." he gestured to the edge of town and glared at Steel. "I suggest you leave before we have to apprehend _you_."

Steel glared back but stormed off, formulating plans in his head of how to get Copper back. He couldn't 'save' or 'rescue' her or she'd beat him up to prove she's no damsel in distress. He rolled Lancer's pokéball in his hand absent mindedly. It was the only Pokémon he could use openly but he suspected that everyone in Azalea had a bug type so there wasn't much opportunity for type advantages.

He walked over to the Pokémon centre and found that there wasn't a nurse behind the desk; at least she wasn't dressed like one. She was a stocky brunette and had her hair tied in a side ponytail secured with two yellow round clips. She was filing her nails in a bored fashion when she noticed Steel enter.

"Good day, welcome and all that." she monotoned and didn't even look up.

"Can you just heal my Pokémon?" Steel held out all his pokéballs. She finally looked up, grabbed the pokéballs and flung them onto the machine. Steel listened to the jingle and took his Pokémon back. He was walking away when she spoke.

"BTW, I'd be careful walking about with those non-bugs. Deborah's really fussy about that if you didn't know already."

He wheeled around, "Deborah?"

"Yup, she's the queen bee of Azalea, pun intended." she caught Steel's thoughtful look and smirked. "If you're thinking about challenging her I'd reconsider. She's _very_ strong and wouldn't think twice about destroying a little boy."

"Sounds familiar," Steel muttered. This 'Deborah' was sounding a lot like Blair and with what he'd seen of Azalea so far he could guess what kind of person Deborah was. He walked out and strolled casually to where the well was, a plan formulating in his mind.

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><p><strong>Next time on Pokemon Rust : Steel vs. Deborah<strong>

**Sorry for the late update. I started to procrastinate, Sorry :(**

**As always please review on how to improve, I want this to be the best it can be for you! :D**


	11. Chapter 10

The well looked old and weathered but Steel could see it was façade. The ladder was well maintained and there was a metal trap door that protected the entrance but it was unlocked.

He took a deep breath and stepped onto the first rung. He clambered down and halfway down he took Oddish's pokéball out and prepared for it to use stun spore on sight but Steel had made it down unscathed.

The tunnels were dark but the sounds of axes rang out throughout the black caves. Oddish kept close to Steel as they blindly wandered through the sodden caves.

Steel squinted into the light as peered from behind a wall, Oddish standing impatiently behind him. The sound of axes was deafening but every so often he would hear a shout or bout of laughter. Most of the people he saw were digging but a few were resting but looked as beaten down. He fumed and gave Oddish an unsure shrug. The jerks that ran Azalea didn't seem to wear any uniform so he couldn't risk unleashing stun spore in fear of paralyzing a prisoner.

Oddish frowned and skipped quietly to the wall's edge and looked around but it shook its head in a defeated way. Steel leant against the wall and tried to concentrate despite the discorded medley of axes, dripping water and shouting. He guessed that the remainder of his plan could still be carried out but so far he was tripping at the first hurdle. He crouched down, careful not to be noticed, and began talking to Oddish.

"When I start running with Brooke watch out for those who chase me and when they've reached this point," he pointed to the behind him where the gap in walls was, "Stun them."

Oddish nodded mischievously and Steel opened Brooke's pokéball. He didn't yell her name but the sound was loud enough. Steel heard some confused shouting and he started to run, slow enough for them to notice but fast enough to make it a plausible as an escape attempt. His feet clapped loudly on the stone floor and when he glanced back he saw some people and bugs rushing forwards. He looked at them fearfully when he realised how fast the ariados were scuttling and quickened his pace.

The pickaxes quietened as more people rested the tools down and watched the 'escape'. Brooke was struggling to keep up with Steel's much larger strides but he couldn't slow down. Behind him he heard Oddish cry angrily and the sound of something hitting the floor. He sighed, stopped and turned around but then yelped when two men kept advancing with masks tied around their faces. Considering a lot of bug moves had something to do with powder it should have been expected but in the midst of fear Steel yelled "Water gun!" and they were blasted back by the sudden burst of water.

They hit the floor and joined the pile of unconscious guards. All the prisoners had stopped digging and where staring at Steel who was breathing heavily. He scanned the crowd and located Copper who looked at him incredulously.

"Steel?" she exclaimed and Steel ran forward.

"Yeah, do you want to leave now?" he asked nervously but to his surprise she shook her head.

"Can't, they'll be more people coming in any minute now."

"So? The town exit isn't far from here. We could make it out before anyone notices."

Copper looked around and unclipped Jolie's pokéball from her belt. "Maybe but I want to see Deborah taken out."

Now it was Steel's turn to be incredulous. "Is that worth the risk? We could just free you all now."

Copper shook her head. "Azalea is home for a lot of these people. We can't force them to leave." Steel blew some hair out of his eyes as he thought.

"So you're relying on a fourteen year old who became a trainer this week?" he asked bleakly but Copper shook her head and smiled.

"I'm trusting the great trainer who defeated Blair."

"You helped,"

"And I'm helping now." she held out a pokéball, "Use Jolie."

"What!? She hates me!"

"But she respects you enough to obey you and all you need to know is ember, roar and quick attack."

Steel took the pokéball unsurely and breathed deeply. "I'll see you…" he hesitated, "I'll see you when I see you."

He turned and jogged away, wanting to escape the limelight, and travelled once again through the dark caves with Brooke and Oddish by his side.

Lancer was buzzing enthusiastically next to Steel as they strode through Azalea and made a beeline for the gym. There were no guards at the door and when Steel entered he found why.

Most of the gym was an abyss that went down beyond what Steel could see but there were small wooden islands from where Steel was standing to the edge of the hall. Web was strung from each island to the others and they were threaded together, creating a sticky floor.

Steel stared at the 'floor' with wide eyes and stepped back against the wall. He wasn't usually scared of heights, not that he'd had many encounters with them, but the prospect of fighting on such a fragile field terrified him.

"Hellooooo!" trilled a voice from across the empty hall. He looked over and saw a woman with brown hair in a side plait. For a moment Steel was about to confuse her with the woman at the Pokémon centre but then he began noticing the slight differences.

Deborah stood up and raised her voice so she could be heard clearly, "Welcome Steel to my gym! What do you want?" she asked with a sly smile that convinced Steel she already knew.

"I'm here to challenge you!" he pronounced boldly but Deborah chuckled.

"You want a pokéduel?" she called and before Steel could answer she continued, "How about if you win I'll give up Azalea?" she said it patronisingly and Steel clenched his fists.

"Sorry if I don't believe you'd actually do that." Steel said without apology.

"Aww, why not. I always enjoy a good battle."

"Blair wasn't so keen on keeping a deal and you probably would too."

She scoffed, "_You_ defeated Blair?" Steel nodded and she chuckled. "The way he described you I thought it was Pryce back from the dead!" she noticed that Steel wasn't laughing and strolled towards him, having no apparent fear of the abyss that was just a thread away from her feet.

"I'm serious. Unlike that little raticate I have no fear about giving up Azalea." she batted her eyelashes.

"Why?" he asked suspiciously. She continued walking and raised an eyebrow at his ignorance.

"Because I'm a gym leader and it's my duty to uphold the rules of the pokéduel."

"A gym leader?" Deborah stopped a few feet in front of Steel and she bounced as the web stretched. She crossed her arms indignantly.

"It's the leader of a town who can give badges to those who beat them. I inherited the bug type gym from Bugsy."

"What happened to him?" Steel asked accusingly and Deborah pouted.

"Don't look at me like that. After the war ended he ran off and I took charge of Azalea."

Steel nodded to show he understood. He threw out Lancer and Deborah jogged backwards to the nearest island.

"Three on three!" she called and she hurled a pokéballs into the air. It flashed and a Pokémon popped into existence. It was very cute; it resembled a rounded purple butterfly with two black antennae and small circular blue feet, arms and snout. It had large red eyes and large white wings with black accents.

"Butterfree, use gust!" Deborah immediately ordered so Steel didn't have time to react as it beat its wings and blew Lancer against the wall.

"Use pursuit to get in close!" Steel commanded and Lancer tackled Butterfree with amazing speed and stopped the gust.

Deborah didn't get angry like Blair. She stood calmly as surveyed the battle enthusiastically.

"Use confusion," Butterfree' eyes glowed with psychic energy and so did Lancer. He looked around nervously for a moment before being slammed into one of the walls again by psychic energy. For a frightening moment he didn't recover but he buzzed weakly when he started flying.

"Fury attack!" Steel commanded and Lancer rapidly started stabbing with his stingers and caught the butterfree as it tried to dodge.

"Confusion again!" she yelled and Steel grimaced as Lancer was hurled onto the ceiling. He fell down and Steel rushed to catch Lancer with the red light from the pokéball.

"Three-two!" she trilled. Steel hesitated, glancing at the threaded floor, and threw out Brooke. Brooke was unfazed by the floor and glared at Butterfree.

"Water gun! Keep it going!" Steel ordered and Brooke kept blasting Butterfree, who was obviously becoming more tired with every dodge, until it was hit with direct water gun. It knocked Butterfree out of the air and it crashed, unconscious, into Deborah's island.

"Two-two." she said, clearly frustrated with how easily her butterfree had been taken out. "Time for the _real_ battle!" she warned as she threw her next Pokémon's pokéball into the air.

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><p><strong>Wooo! 10th Chapter! Thanks to Bellatrix morgenstern, Minerva Star Shine, Ms. TamborineMan, Ravenext, Something dictionary related, Tabos and aleking74 for following! :D <strong>

**_Diolch yn fawr i'ch! _(Thank you to you all!)_  
><em>**

* * *

><p><strong>Time to get interesting! I'm <em>really<em> sorry for the long wait. I've had maths mocks and Grade 4 piano to worry about. Hope you enjoy this and please review about how I can improve, this fic is for you! :D**

**(BTW I'm posting a flashback chapter as a test for another volume after or during the writing of this one.)**


	12. Chapter 11

The Pokémon was orange with two sets of legs and a pair of pincers. It had a large spotted mushroom on its back and creepy white eyes. Its legs made clicking noises as it scuttled across the web and the sound cut through Steel. Deborah took advantage of his distraction and called out a move for her parasect.

"Stun spore!" but Steel had been expecting some sort of spore move and managed to react on time.

"Water gun!" he called and Brooke's move sailed above Parasect's head but dispersed the cloud of noxious powder.

"Cross poison!" Deborah commanded and the parasect moved with infuriating agility towards Brooke.

"Rage!" Steel ordered and the two Pokémon met, fist against pincer, but Brooke managed to overpower the bug type to Deborah's shock. Parasect was close to fainting and Steel recognised it with triumph.

"What!? How can such a young trainer...?" she gritted her teeth and stared malevolently at Brooke. "I see." she mused and she called the parasect back.

"Given up?" Steel called, half cockily but half hopeful.

"I'm not done yet, go Scyther!" she threw the pokéball down and Scyther sprung out. It was green and raised its cream scythes intimidating and Steel saw a large scar running down its face. This was a Pokémon that had seen battle.

Deborah still wasn't thrown off. She didn't get angry like Blair and Steel was beginning worry about his chances but she wasn't going to be nice to Steel.

"Quick attack!" she called out immediately and the scyther sped towards Brooke. They collided but that was only the beginning of Deborah's strategy.

"Keep using fury cutter!" she yelled and Scyther brought down its scythes.

"Counter with rage!" Steel commanded and once again Brooke was locked in battle with one of Deborah's Pokémon.

Both their attacks increased with power but, still glowing with rage, Brooke was thrown back.

"Finish it with vacuum punch." she ordered in an eerie tone. Scyther brought back a scythe and air began to funnel towards it. The vacuum was sucking Brooke towards Scyther and there was little way to resist. She was being dragged by an invisible force and only tore the web when she scrambled to grab it with her blue claws. Steel surveyed the battlefield as his brain whirred rapidly, thinking of some tactic to escape the inevitable finishing blow.

"Stop fighting it!" he told Brooke and she looked at him quizzically. "Just rage!" Brooke nodded in understanding and jumped. She shot through the air and Scyther couldn't stop the attack so far into it.

Brooke's fist blew Scyther back and it skidded across Deborah's island. She sprinted towards the rising scyther and began to beat it up while Deborah stepped away from the brawling Pokémon.

Brooke's rage glow was turning from red to white to indicate her power increase but something was becoming odd about it. She was changing.

"Damn!" Deborah exclaimed but Scyther's attacks weren't doing anything. She couldn't stop it.

She was growing larger and her snout was becoming rounder. Three spikes were sprouting from her head and her teeth were growing larger. Steel watched in awe as the glow shattered and revealed a new Pokémon. She was still blue but had more cream patches on her stomach and jaw.

"_Croconaw_!" Brooke roared and Deborah growled.

"Get away with agility!" she yelled and Scyther's speed increased until it was a blur.

"Brooke, use water gun!" Steel called and a clearly more powerful blast shot at Scyther but it was too fast to hit.

"Leer!" he commanded and the whites of Brooke's eyes glowed a sickly yellow and became strangely irresistible. Scyther was forced to look and it fell in fear as the power of Brooke's move took effect.

"Water gun again!" Steel commanded and the water hit Scyther directly but it disappeared in a red wisp. Steel followed the beam of red to Deborah who'd called it back.

"Can't handle a defeat?" he taunted and she gritted her teeth angrily. He knew she only had Parasect to switch to so he didn't get the point of switching. They were both too weak to stand up to Brooke.

Parasect appeared onto the web floor and staggered.

"Cross poison on the floor." she called with no regard for her Pokémon's condition and Steel watched in fear as it scuttled and kept targeting the webs underneath Brooke's feet. She skirted around the battlefield but she wasn't used to her new body yet and her foot found nothing beneath it.

Steel cried out as Brooke yelled and Deborah smirked but the pokeball's red beam caught her and she dissolved. Steel sighed in relief but stared in horror as the battlefield was torn apart. Parasect held onto some of the few remaining threads and Deborah cackled.

"Choose you next Pokémon. Will it be Oddish or Miltank?" she looked over the abyss and her sneer grew. "It'll be hard for them to manoeuvre without a field, wouldn't it?"

The guards who took away Copper must have reported his Pokémon to her. Too bad he had something else. He threw out Copper's pokéball and Jolie appeared, spitting a flame into the air.

Deborah glared at the vulpix and then to Steel. "You _lied_ to Josh and Ben? You should be in the well along with your friend!"

"Jolie! Use ember!" Jolie stared at the abyss and would have raised an eyebrow at Steel if she had any eyebrows.

Deborah laughed and Jolie glared at her and her parasect. Embers shot at them but Parasect dodged it with such ease that all it did was make Deborah laugh harder. Jolie growled and began hurling embers at their island without Steel's command.

"Jolie!" he yelled but she did not cease. Deborah's laughs died abruptly as she began to feel heat from behind her. Everyone gazed at the far side and watched as Jolie's embers were beginning to consume the flammable webs that covered the gym.

Deborah screamed and edged towards the exit but found herself staring into the abyss. She called back Parasect and threw out an ariados. She was about to create a way across but met Steel's eyes.

"I have a croconaw, I can help." he called, forgetting his battle to his prioritising need to help people. He tried calling Jolie back first but she kept resisting. '_Respects you enough to obey you_' was seeming like some sort of sick joke at the moment.

Brooke came out and blasted a nearby flame with water gun but it was too direct of an attack to do must to the fire. Deborah's ariados was clambering across a wall without Deborah who was separated from it by a mass of blaze that had moved onto the wooden island.

Steel was about to order another water gun but then he gazed at Jolie who was glaring at Deborah and remembered. His eyes narrowed and he raised his voice.

"Surrender Azalea and I'll help you."

Deborah scowled and the orange light made her brown eyes look alight. "Sorry if I don't believe you'd actually do that." she echoed hollowly and Brooke blasted a dangerously close flame with water gun.

"I'm a man of my word." he assured and she snickered. Steel felt like he was melting under the oppressive heat and his vision was clouding with bright light and thick smoke.

She looked desperately stubborn but as the gym became submerged in heat her demeanour shattered. She cried out loudly and Brooke pushed away all nearby flames with water. Steel sighed in relief and was merciful that she'd come around of her own accord. As much as he wanted to free Azalea he knew that he couldn't let someone die.

"Use your ariados!" he called as Brooke started blasting a path from her to her ariados and they ran towards each other. Deborah leapt and grabbed one of Ariados' free legs and they clambered across the wall to Steel's island. She sprinted out the door and knocked Steel out of the way. He followed and stared in horror as a flame burst out of the roof.

Smoke rose and people gathered nearby in panicked herds, screaming and unsure of what to do. Brooke was blasting the inferno but it was doing less and less as time went on. He was aware of Deborah trying to calm everyone down but all anyone could see was the fire spreading.

The wind sent wisps of fire towards the forest and Steel saw a group of angry butterfree trying to tear the flames apart but all they did was fan the flames. Steel was terrified and all he could think about was getting Copper and getting out of Azalea.

He asked Brooke to stay behind and help as he ran to the well. He slid down the ladder and yelled as he blindly sprinted through the caves.

"Fire! Get out, Azalea's on fire!" he yelled and the people looked around nervously before running out. They were met with no resistance so the guards must have known and a running Copper slammed into him.

"Was this you?" she asked accusingly.

"_This_ was Jolie." he said defensively as he passed the pokéball back to her. "Brooke's there trying to put it out but it's not enough." Copper was silent for a short moment as she weighed their options against each other.

"We should go." she said disheartedly. They ran together and climbed the ladder to the surface and was met with heat and smoke that was frightening. The plan was to go but all they saw the scale of fire and began to reconsider.

Copper darted inside a house and came out with a pot. She gritted her teeth and sent out Conrad. He appeared and she shoved the pot into his talons.

"Go to the ocean and fill this up. Keep pouring the water on the fire!" she ordered and Steel ran to find Brooke. She was still trying but was clearly exhausted.

"She's evolved." Copper was surprised despite the incredible heat but Steel waved it away.

"You can't keep this up Brooke." Steel stated sadly as he called her back. He saw her look at him miserably but there was no choice now. They wouldn't survive this unless they left now.

They had just turned their backs when powerful winds kicked up. The gusts pushed them to the ground and when they looked around they saw someone.

He had unruly lavender hair and a 5 o'clock shadow on his face. He wore a white shirt with green shorts and bare feet. He was short and unimpressive but his Pokémon weren't. He stood atop a massive forretress with a shuckle and pinsir besides him while a scizor, heracross and yanmega were tearing the flames apart with amazing blasts of air.

People stopped and stared as the smoke and heat dissipated but he just stood there.

"Bugsy!" Deborah exclaimed and he found her eyes among the crowd.

"Amy," his voice was surprisingly high for a man in his late thirties. Deborah's face reddened. "What happened?" he demanded and her eyes narrowed and she glared at Steel who was standing nervously in the crowd.

"_He_ burnt down my gym!" Copper stepped forwards.

"Hey! You've been forcing non-bug trainers to be slaves!" she yelled and Bugsy's eyes widened.

"Is this true Amy?" he asked uncertainly and someone spoke up boredly.

"Yup, she's been the dictator of Azalea ever since you left." the Pokémon centre lady monotoned and Bugsy looked between them while Amy/Deborah glared at her.

"But it _was_ him who burned down the gym." she pointed over to Steel who was unsure of how to act. It was _Jolie_'s fault.

The forretress hovered towards Steel and broke the crowd and Bugsy stood above Steel.

"Why did you burn the gym?" he demanded.

"An accident occurred when I was trying to get rid of Deborah and free my friend."

Bugsy raised an eyebrow. "Is that what she calls herself now?" Steel nodded and Bugsy jumped down from Forretress.

"There'll have to be an investigation but I'll weigh both your crime evenly." he was now addressing the crowd, "I'll have to return as the gym leader of Azalea."

A vein pulsed in Copper's forehead. "You were the gym leader of Azalea?" Bugsy nodded. Copper clenched her fists and punched Busgy in the chest. He cried out and Copper turned her back.

"Sort out Goldenrod for me or I'll return." she warned then she sprinted off with Steel on her tail. No-one followed but Steel kept looking back, still confused about what had happened.

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><p><strong>Happy holidays! I still have a week before school ends but I'm wearing a Christmas jumper so it's Christmas for me.<strong>

**Next chapter : Cherrygrove city!**

**I can't wait for the next few chapters because one of my favourite shots I have in my head is coming. Once I'm off school I'll try to upload more chapters more frequently.**

**Hope you liked it and please review so I can improve, I want this to be the best for you! :D**


	13. Chapter 12

Steel and Copper stopped short of a cave and rested while breathing heavily.

"_Why_ did you punch him again?" Steel gasped and Copper shrugged.

"He's the reason I was stuck in that cave and I felt he needed some common sense beat into him." she paused and sighed. "And I'll admit that I'm violent."

"Well that crosses yet another places of the list of places we're welcome."

Copper smirked, "Five more to go."

Steel's eyes widened, "Only five?"

Copper furrowed her eyebrows in thought. "We can't go to Ecruteak, Violet City, Goldenrod, Azalea Town and Cianwood's gone so that leaves us Mahogany town, Blackthorn, Cherrygrove and New Bark Town."

"That's four."

"Oh." Copper chuckled. "Well it's a good thing we're heading away."

Steel glanced to his pokégear and consulted the map. "We've got to go through Union cave to get to Route 32 and from there we fly."

They trotted to the boulder that indicated the entrance to Union cave and had to get all the Pokémon (minus Conrad), Steel and Copper to push to move it out of the way. Copper had her back against the boulder and was looking at Oddish when a thought occurred to her.

"Hey Steel. How come you haven't named Oddish?"

Steel had both of his hands pressed against the rock and he looked down to Oddish who was trying to push with her head. "Oh yeah, do you have any ideas? I don't have a large mental list of names."

Copper looked up thoughtfully and met Steel's eyes. "What do you think about Antheia?"

"It's a very pretty name but also pretty obscure, where did you find that?"

"It's the name of someone I lived next to when I was five."

"Five? You still remember a name from when you were five?"

Copper pouted, "It _is _a pretty name." she said defensively. "And she was one of my friends until I moved."

"Why would you move to Ecruteak?"

"Janus and Rose were appointed there." she explained bitterly. Steel noticed sadly that it was only Janus and Rose, not Mum or Dad.

With a great lurch the rock finally shifted out of the way and everyone shot backwards at the sight of fog drifting outwards. They called their Pokémon back immediately and pulled on their masks but Copper started to see it was different to the fog in Ecruteak.

"It's different. It's not purple, it's just grey."

Copper wanted to test the effects of the fog but couldn't risk any of her Pokémon and she'd need Conrad to make it to Cherrygrove. Steel looked to Copper and they exchanged meaningful glances, expressing their curiosity.

"We best not risk it." Steel said and Copper nodded.

She dug a torch out of her bag and peered in but it glowed uselessly against the fog. She turned back to Steel, "We'll have to go in blind. Get a Pokémon and I'll tear some masks for them."

They chose Lore, Antheia and Charlie to go in with them and Copper began tearing apart a spare t-shirt she had into masks for them. They were crude but hopefully effective.

They stepped into the fog and Steel saw that the density was inconsistent, for some patches he could squint and see but for others he was practically blind. Antheia walked boldly through the cave while Charlie and Lore stuck close to their respective trainers.

They heard scuffling echo against the caves walls and Copper kept flicking her torch to wherever the sound came from so Steel was walking in dark a lot.

"So I've told you more than I would've liked about _my_ past so what's the deal with yours?" Copper inquired but Steel huffed.

"What's there to say? I've lived with my dad in Mount Mortar for my entire life, I didn't go outside much and everyone else kept to themselves."

Copper raised an unseen eyebrow. "Seriously? I'm not what I'd prefer, my hectic life of avoiding the bastards in my life or your boring life of cowering in caves."

Steel frowned defensively, "We..._I_ wasn't cowering at least, but the population was mainly composed of people who were scared of Pokémon so they seldom went outside."

"What's your dad like?"

"His name is Ferro; he used to be a mareep farmer near route 42 and dabbled in Pokémon research. He pretty much led the creation of the Mount Mortar and is the best dad in Johto." Copper's smile became weak and Steel blushed. "Sorry. He was the only person I knew until about a week ago so I kinda idolised him."

"He's like a great guy but his story sounds awfully similar to yours except backwards. What about your mum?"

"I don't know her. Dad said that she had to go and I always thought that she'd survived on the outside but now I'm seeing the state of Johto..."

They walked in silence. Antheia cried out and they heard a roar.

"Razor leaf!" Copper commanded quickly and Lore jumped into battle. Steel stepped back as not to get in her way and watched the battle.

She was fighting a massive rock snake but she didn't power with any of the status moves because of its hard hide and just kept Lore attacking it. She took advantage of Lore's far superior agility to confuse the onix early on.

The razor leaves were doing super effective damage so she kept at it. It swung its rock tail at Lore but she jumped over it like a hurdle and tackled it. Then the tail came back. It knocked Lore's legs from under her and wrapped its long body around her. It was crushing her but she managed to unleash yellow spores onto its face. Its body seized up and freed Lore who proudly shot it with more leaves until it collapsed.

The battle had gone so quickly that Steel felt like he'd blinked and missed it. Lore had a rare brief look of smugness as did Copper except it was less rare for her.

Steel's eyes drifted to the fainted onix and he looked excitedly at Copper, "Where could I get one of those?"

Copper rolled her eyes and spread her hands. "Anywhere here. I'd recommend getting one; rock types are good against flying types and I don't want to be on my own if we stumble into more Zephyrs."

They wandered the dark and kept their eyes peeled for massive rock snakes which shouldn't have been as hard as it was for them. Little poisonous bats kept swooping down at them and at one point the zubat knocked Steel into the several ponds that littered the cave.

He flailed wildly in the murky water and Copper realised in a panic that Steel couldn't swim.

"Damn Mortar!" she yelled as she stretched her hand towards him. Throughout the flailing he accidently hit her arm and then hastily grabbed for it. She dragged him onto the rocks as Lore, Antheia and Charlie attacked the attacking Pokémon.

"It seems all you're a liability when you're not fighting." she said it in a joking manner but the comment hit Steel harder than she wanted it to. Lore tackled the last zubat and Copper beamed at her. "You're doing really well today!" she praised and Lore grinned.

Lore began to glow and she illuminated the fog surrounding her. Copper watched in awe as her chikorita began to grow. Her tail elongated, the leaf atop her head grew and the small buds around her neck blossomed. The glow shattered and Copper and Lore's smiles seemed to reach unnatural sizes. Lore was now lighter and the greenery that decorated her was darker. Then Lore started to cough and Copper saw the mask had slipped out of its knot and was now on the floor. Copper returned Lore to her pokéball and stared at it sadly.

"That's the second time I've seen that, what is it?" Steel asked and Copper met his eyes.

"It's evolution, when a Pokémon trains and battles a lot it changes form so it becomes stronger and my chikorita's grown into a bayleef!" her tone was that of a proud mother reminiscing.

Antheia grumbled in the dark and Charlie tried to hug it but Antheia darted away with a moody expression on its face.

"Still no onix," Steel noted and Copper looked around.

"I'm sorry Steel but I think that getting to Indigo City trumps finding more Pokémon."

"But you said that onix would've been a good idea."

Copper shrugged indifferently, "I thought we'd come across one on the way but I already see the exit and there's no point in dilly-dallying."

Steel sighed and got to hit feet. His clothes stuck to him awkwardly with water and he waved his bandaged arm frantically as he walked.

"I guess _that's_ why you never learnt to swim." she said, smirking at Steel flailing his arm.

"That and there's not a lot of water in Mount Mortar. Apparently there used to be but the water disappeared in the earthquakes, similar to what happened in route 42."

"Cool, I didn't know it used to have water." she started strolling towards the cave's exit.

"Yeah, you used to have to swim across to get from Ecruteak to Mahogany." Unlike the entrance there was no boulder blocking the way and as they stepped outside they found the cause of the grey fog.

They came out facing a part of the ocean and the route stretched down to their right. Copper pointed, "That's Violet City just over there." she pointed across the ocean and they saw land. "And that's Cherrygrove city."

They both looked towards the source of the fog and saw steel machines attached to small hills that littered the route. Most of them spouted chimneys that spewed the fog and Copper nodded slowly in understanding.

"It's not fog, it's smoke." she realised and Steel lifted his hand to his mask and goggles.

"We should keep these on; smoke does nothing but harm even if it's not noxious." Copper nodded.

"That's probably why Lore was coughing. Grass types aren't usually fans of smoke." she explained and while she walked to the shore Steel kept looking in the direction of Violet City. He jogged over to Copper.

"Aren't they annoyed by all the fumes?" Steel asked but Copper waved her hand in its direction.

"Zephyrs always carry a flying type on them. They just use the guarding Pokémon to blow away anything."

They both faced the water and Copper called out Conrad who flew and spluttered in the polluted air but Copper didn't seem to care.

"Oh," he suddenly remembered something. "Lancer fainted in my battle with Deborah and I haven't had a chance to heal him since."

Copper dug through her bag and pulled out the bag of supplies from that ex-Plain, Arnold. She pulled out a small yellow diamond shaped object.

"Get Lancer out of his pokéball." she instructed. Steel obeyed and Lancer appeared barely moving. The only hint of life was his very slight breathing. Copper handed the revive over to Steel.

Steel placed it in Lancer's ajar mouth and he instinctively swallowed. Life instantly spread throughout the beedrill. His red bug eyes shot open and his wings started buzzing. Steel hugged Lancer and Lancer hugged him back.

"Be careful with him Steel. The revive only granted him half his health back so he'll be weak until we get to a Pokémon centre." Copper warned and Steel nodded, remembering Bliss' warning about items only partially healing Pokémon.

"We need to get to Cherrygrove City." Steel told Lancer and pointed across the water. Lancer buzzed happily, grabbed Steel and flew up with obvious difficulty.

"Good thing it's a short distance, eh?" he chuckled while Conrad and Copper eyed each other suspiciously.

"Drop me and you won't survive a minute after." Copper threatened coldly and Conrad flapped his wings and hovered just above her sight line, presenting a foot grudgingly.

The two Pokémon sped over the water and over to the city. Once they got closer Steel and Copper began noticing the strange things about Cherrygrove such as the red brick wall that _completely_ surrounded it. It even domed over the buildings and Steel furrowed his eyebrows as he saw no entrance.

They landed on a nearby beach that had the wall running through it and Copper tapped the bricks experimentally after calling back Conrad.

"It looks like just regular brick but I expect it's something more than that."

Steel walked up to the wall and pressed an ear against the rough red clay. He heard nothing but when he tapped it his fist stuck there. Copper stepped a foot forwards apprehensively but Steel began to jolt.

Purple energy coursed through him and it jumped to Copper and Lancer. They began to glow under their skin and before they could even scream they exploded with light. Steel felt himself dissolve and all he could see was darkness. He wanted to scream but his voice had escaped him and it was too late.

* * *

><p><strong>Dun dun dun!<strong>

**One and a half days until I'm free for the holidays and then I'll be writing a lot so don't you worry about the cliffhanger.**

**Hope you enjoyed reading and please review to tell me how to improve, this fic's for you! :D**


	14. Chapter 13

The darkness that filled Steel's eyes quickly turned to a psychic purple. His stomach overturned as Steel was pieced back together. He found that his eyes were closed and when he opened them he was shocked by light.

The whole ordeal must have only lasted less than a second but it felt infinitely long. He inhaled his scream as he saw Copper, who was experiencing similar disorientation, and Lancer who'd fainted from the exhaustion of being knocked out, partially revived, flying with the weight of a person and then being teleported.

A middle-aged woman came up to them with a small turquoise ghost like Pokémon with beautiful red orbs around its neck that looked like a necklace.

Steel and Copper had been confronted enough times to instantly reject a friendly face so while they scrambled backwards against the wall, Steel ordered Lancer to fly at the woman. Steel glanced and Lancer and remembered that he's fainted.

"Please calm down. Cherrygrove doesn't allow just anyone in so it'll be safe to rest here though Morty will want to see you."

"Morty? He's here?" Copper asked and the woman nodded but pursed her lips like she didn't like Copper's tone.

The woman smiled and held out her hand, "It's lovely to meet you. My name is Hannah." she had fairly long black hair and dark blue eyes. She was very elegant and had a constant reassuring smile, the type that really annoyed Copper.

Copper was still suspicious and quickly threw out Jolie and ordered tackle but Hannah had quick reflexes and before Jolie knew what was going on she bounced off a translucent ethereal force field.

Hannah still wasn't angry, "Why did you do that?"

Copper's cheeks burned under Hannah's utterly sincere gaze, "Sorry," she mumbled, "I'm just suspicious of people."

Hannah's lips formed an 'o' and she raised a hand to her mouth. "I understand. I'm sorry for being so forbearing." she shortly bowed apologetically.

Copper was still incredulous that someone could be so nice but something was nagging at her.

"Speak again." she asked.

"Um... Okay. Hello, this is my misdreavus." Hannah was confused and she was looking at Copper oddly. Copper met Hannah's eyes like an interrogator.

"Your accent doesn't sound like it's from Kahto." Copper prodded and Hannah looked away and seemed to shrink.

"Yes, I-I wasn't born here." she spoke meekly like she didn't want to be heard. Copper indicated for her to elaborate. "I came from Hoenn." by then her voice was barely audible.

Copper scowled, "Hoenn?"

Hannah gulped under Copper's gaze and Steel placed a hand on Copper's shoulder, a silent plea to stop but Hannah still felt compelled to talk, "I grew up near Mauville and when the flooding destroyed my home I came to Ecruteak as a refugee. Morty protected us from the war but when the second tower burned down after an attack he evacuated us here."

Copper didn't say anything despite Hannah's pleading eyes asking for forgiveness for being from Hoenn. She turned around and indicated for them to follow her to the Pokémon centre. Steel returned Lancer to his pokéball and gave Copper an annoyed look as he walked behind Hannah but she just rolled her eyes.

The jingle of the healing machine finished and as Copper and Steel were collecting their pokéballs another woman entered the centre. She was younger than Hannah and had short light brown hair. Her brown eyes quickly flickered from each person when it finally landed on Steel and Copper.

"Morty would like to see you two now." Steel and Copper were at the threshold when she added, "By the way, be careful once you're inside. The abyss won't harm you but it feels worse than teleportation." she didn't explain so Copper and Steel walked nervously into the gym.

Wooden planks lead to a battlefield and, too similarly to Azalea for Steel's taste, there was a black abyss beneath. Steel and Copper walked over the planks cautiously but the woman was hurrying them along. They stepped onto the battlefield and came face to face with Morty.

Face to face was a nice way of saying it, in actuality Morty was much taller than the two teenagers. He smiled at them but there was an undertone of sadness underneath it. He had a short and tidy blonde beard and his blonde hair was receding slightly at the crown. Morty wore a black jacket with a purple scarf that had a gold badge clipped on it. His purple eyes met Steel's and Copper's in turn and he spread his arms welcomingly.

"Welcome, Copper and Steel, to the Cherrygrove gym." he greeted and then he looked over to the woman, "Please may you leave Natalie? I'd like to speak with these two alone."

Steel and Copper weren't fine with being left on their own but having a possible opponent leave would make it easier to escape if it came to that.

"How are you two feeling? I know teleportation isn't a pleasant feeling but it's the only way to allow entrance without endangering any of my people."

"People from Hoenn." Copper muttered and Morty frowned.

"I had no qualms about inviting Steel here but you were more difficult to judge." Copper looked surprised. "You are the daughter of the current conquers of my old city and two high ranking Zephyrs, you have a noctowl and Zephyr uniform in your bag and you attacked Hannah."

"How do you know so much about me!?" Copper demanded and Morty tapped his temple cryptically.

"I'm a seer. I always find a person's history before judging them and allowing access. I swore to protect the refugees and that still stands."

Copper looked down ashamedly, "I'm sorry. You may have queries about me but you can trust that I'm no Zephyr."

Morty nodded knowingly, "I called you here for several reasons. To see what type of people wanted to enter my city was the first and I think I have my impressions of you now." Copper's cheeks grew redder. "But the most important one was to ask about your destination." Steel hid the cuff of his right arm behind his back to hide the pokégear but Morty didn't miss the gesture. "You somehow have a pokégear despite their production stopping and many being destroyed. I have my theories about your motives but I'd like to hear them from you."

Steel guessed that Morty _did_ know but just wanted to hear it in Steel's words, "I found this pokégear outside Mount Mortar along with a pokéball. It had a totodile and a message from Professor Oak," Morty's eyes widened in surprise, "A-and he told me about a city underneath the Indigo Plateau. Copper saved me in Ecruteak and to make it up to her she came along with me."

"This message from Professor Oak. Could you guess _when_ it was recorded?"

"When it starts out I'd guess it's in the last third of the war but in the last one sounded later on but there was water in the background so it was hard to make out."

"Water?" Morty was clearly curious but still remained calm, "May I have a look at the pokégear?"

Steel nodded, unclipped the pokégear from his cuff and handed it over to Morty who lifted the device up to his ear after pressing a few buttons. Steel and Copper tried to talk silently through expressions while Morty listened intently.

He finally lowered the device and handed it back to Steel. "Thank you. Now please tell me why you've come to Cherrygrove."

"We just needed the Pokémon centre. My beedrill fainted and I'll need him to get to the Indigo City." Steel had finished talking and Morty nodded, satisfied.

"You can rest in Cherrygrove for as long as you want and I'll do whatever I can to help you achieve your goal."

Steel and Copper thanked him and were about to leave the gym when Morty spoke up. "I know it was you two who freed Goldenrod City, Azalea Town and brought Bugsy out of the forest. Such heroism should be rewarded. Rest for today and tomorrow I'll give you your rewards."

Copper and Steel wheeled around, "Rewards? We didn't do this for..." Copper began but Morty interrupted.

"I understand but I want to help you reach Indigo City."

"Why?" Copper asked before Steel could stop her. Morty hesitated like he wasn't sure whether to answer.

"Because... because I should be there. I didn't answer the call in fear of the refugee's fates and soon after it was too late."

"Too late?" Steel questioned. Morty's hesitation was longer and more assertive.

"I'll tell you tomorrow. It's a long story and you both need sleep."

Steel hadn't realised it but when he thought about it, it had been just earlier that day he'd captured Antheia and fought Deborah and that the sun had been setting once they flew over to Cherrygrove. Only once Morty'd mentioned it did Steel and Copper realise how tired they were.

Natalie came back and guided them to some beds that had been set up in the Pokémon centre and, unlike the nights in the Ilex forest they didn't spend countless time staring wide eyed at the stars, they were sleeping almost as soon as their heads hit the pillows.

Their sleep was dreamless and long. They woke up at near midday and went directly to the gym. Morty was there and expecting them.

"You two must have slept well." he greeted happily. He kept both hands behind his back as he spoke.

"You said that you'd explain everything today." Steel said, getting to the chase.

Morty raised an eyebrow, "Someone's quick to get the ball rolling." his tone became more serious, "But yes. I did promise you."

"What did you mean when you said it was too late for you to leave?" Copper asked, remembering last night's conversation.

"I meant that now if I leave Cherrygrove I would almost immediately be killed."

Steel's eyes widened, "What!?"

Morty turned to Copper, "You know of the Zephyr's leader, right?" Copper's face darkened and she remained silent, "He has a death wish for me but as long as I remain in Cherrygrove he cannot find me or break in."

"How did you offend him?" Steel asked and Morty furrowed his eyebrows.

"During the war a man tried to summon the Kahto guardians but he met his downfall there in Ecruteak. Ecruteak was originally my city and I foresaw disasters following his attempts. Though I warned him of this fact he went ahead anyway. That man became the Zephyr leader and has found reason to hate me as if I cause this future by predicting it." Morty's voice was emotionless like a story teller but Copper and Steel could hear the bitterness.

"I was a gym leader," the term filled Steel with irrational fury since he'd only heard it being associated with Deborah, "And a part of the league so I was called to join the others in Indigo City. I can't escort anyone from Cherrygrove to the only safe place in Kahto but I want to help at least someone get there."

* * *

><p><strong>Woooow this was expositiony! So sorry guys. :o<strong>

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter and soon we're going to get exciting!**

**Please review to tell me how to improve, this fic is for you! :D**

**_P.S. Pretty Cure, what's that? ;)_  
><strong>


	15. Chapter 14

Steel nodded in agreement and Morty finally took out his hands and revealed two pokéballs.

"This is the reward I was talking about. This one contains an onix and this one contains a hitmonlee." he gestured to the respective pokéballs.

Copper had a look of recognition, "How did you..." she paused and smirked, "Oh yeah, seer." Morty tossed the pokéball with the hitmonlee to Copper and the one with the onix to Steel.

"They're both male. Do you want to nickname them?"

Copper nodded with strange enthusiasm, "Can I call him Bruce?" she asked and Morty nodded.

"It's your Pokémon, call him whatever you want." Morty looked over to Steel who was staring at the pokéball, "Are you going to name him too?"

Steel nodded slowly and pocketed the pokéball, "I'm gonna call him Ferro."

Morty smiled, "You probably don't know how apt that is. An onix can evolve into a steelix."

"And Ferro means iron." Steel finished, "That's cool. Did you find out my dad's name with your powers?"

"Actually no. I've met your father before."

"How? What was my dad doing with the league? He's terrified of Pokémon and gym leaders are trainers."

"He wasn't always scared of Pokémon. That only happened once the disasters came."

Something occurred to Steel, "Does that mean you knew my mum?"

Morty stayed quiet, "If you don't know her identity by now then it's certainly not my place to tell you."

Steel's fury rose, "Why not!?"

Morty didn't answer, "But before you leave I must warn you. To get to the Indigo City you'd have to go through New Bark Town which is under Zephyr control."

Copper looked surprised, "That's odd. New Bark Town is so small and unimportant, why would they take it?"

"It's been taken for a long time because of Professor Elm and that's what I wanted to ask you about. I can't leave so I need you to rescue him for me. You need not worry too much about the Zephyrs since it _is_ such a small town but he can't escape on his own. Please rescue him for me." Morty was addressing Steel.

"What about me?" Copper asked.

"This needs to be covert and one person would be best."

Copper heard the unspoken meaning; he didn't trust her but to be honest it was for good reason. All the points he mentioned yesterday were still too valid.

Morty raised a disk for them both to see. "This disk can teach a Pokémon the move 'Fly'. It would allow your Pokémon the strength to fly to the Indigo Plateau."

"How does it teach them? Do all Pokémon have slots somewhere?"

Morty chuckled, "No, it's just a CD that only certain Pokémon can hear and they learn the move when they listen to it."

Steel was incredulous but he had no understanding of technology anyway so he took the disk. Morty gestured to outside the gym.

"There's a CD player in the Pokémon centre so you can teach it to your Pokémon there but after you do that I'd like to challenge you."

"Challenge us to what?" Steel asked and Morty fingered the golden badge on his scarf.

"A gym battle, I'd love to have the pleasure of battling such powerful trainers."

Steel and Copper were silent for a moment, "What would that prove?" Steel asked curiously and Morty ran his hand through his blonde hair awkwardly.

"I guess you two wouldn't understand the joy of battling another in a time where it's only used for surviving but in my day battling was a way to understand someone and you two," his eyes had a mischievous spark to them, "are people I'd like to understand more."

Steel and Copper nodded and turned to leave but they were still confused. Battling was just a means for survival or, in an awful lot of people's cases, for oppressing others but Morty talked about it like it was some sort of art form.

But there was the battle in Ilex.

Steel had chosen to teach fly to Lancer and Copper was forced to teach it to Conrad who was returned to his pokéball almost immediately though Lancer was buzzing with excitement. Copper called out Bruce the hitmonlee and smiled at its introduction. It kicked its cream spring-like legs in an impressive routine and finished it off with a respectful bow towards Copper.

"Nice to meet you Bruce." she greeted. She leant against the Pokémon centre desk and read off one of the monitors. "So you have Close combat, Mega kick, Meditate and Rock tomb. Pretty impressive."

Bruce grinned while Steel stared at the pokéball that Morty'd given him.

"It's probably too small in here to throw out an onix."

Copper chuckled, "Probably."

Steel was silently staring at the pokéball and thinking. "You know how I said I wanted an onix? Did you ever want a hitmonlee?" he asked and Copper patted Bruce's smooth brown head.

"When I was little I wanted someone to beat up Janus and Rose for me. Antheia's family had a hitmonlee and I thought it was a cool Pokémon. Needless to say, I didn't know about effective types back then." she returned Bruce to his pokéball, "Thought he'll be good against Morty."

Steel was confused, "Fighting has no advantages against ghosts."

Copper nodded slyly, "But neither can hit the other. Sure his Pokémon will have more moves but Bruce could avoid a lot of hits."

"What about his moves all being normal or fighting?" Steel asked, leaning back against a wall and pocketing Ferro's pokéball.

Copper pursed her lips, "He has rock tomb." she said it unconfidently but then waved it off, "Anyway if something happens I'll just switch."

Steel stood up and began strolling towards the automatic doors. "I'll challenge him then I'll go to New Bark Town."

Copper nodded and followed Steel outside, "Good luck," Copper turned to a large empty road, "I'm going to train with Bruce."

Steel was a bit crestfallen that Copper wasn't going to watch but he could tell that she didn't want any surprises Morty might have to be spoiled.

Copper watched enthusiastically as Bruce kicked the air furiously and heard Lancer buzzing. She wheeled around and saw Steel take off, phasing through the wall due to a nearby misdreavus. Copper returned Bruce to his pokéball and jogged to the gym excitedly.

The lights in Morty's gym had changed for the battle, focusing on the battlefield and leaving the rest dark. There were white lines painted on the floor that outlined and separated the field. The centre had a pokéball sign and Morty stood at one end.

"Welcome!" he greeted and he gestured for Copper to stand at the opposite end to him. "I'll use three Pokémon while you can use any you have on you and the battle for the Fog badge will end once one trainer runs out of Pokémon. I cannot switch Pokémon but you can." Copper nodded in agreement to the rules and Morty threw out his first Pokémon.

It was a ghostly dark purple sphere with lighter fog drifting from it and large eyes. Copper threw out Bruce and Morty smiled.

"Your move first." he said.

"Use rock tomb!" she called and Bruce summoned rocks out of thin air. Bruce performed an overhead kick and sent the boulders flying at Gastly who was knocked back.

Morty was thinking carefully about his next move since the _only_ attacking move Gastly knew was ghost type.

"Use curse." Morty ordered and a phantom nail dug into Gastly's head. Gastly winced in pain then a cold shiver went down Copper's spine as a second phantom nail dug itself into Bruce.

"Rock tomb again!" she yelled and the rocks once again flew at Gastly who once again failed to dodge the mass of boulders but Bruce jolted at the sudden pain of the curse.

"Gastly use mean look!" Morty commanded and Gastly's eyes and mouth glowed. Fear coursed through Bruce and he jolted upright but it didn't seem to do any damage. Another rock tomb hit Gastly who wasn't even attempting to dodge.

"Now use spite!" he called and Gastly's eyes flashed red but Copper couldn't see what was happening to Bruce.

Copper and Bruce kept at rock tomb and Morty ordered Gastly to use lick which did absolutely nothing to the fighting type hitmonlee while Bruce kept taking small damage from curse. Finally the gastly was knocked out and Morty returned it to its pokéball.

"Well done Copper. Now its three to four." Morty said encouragingly and he sent out his next Pokémon, Haunter.

Bruce got the first move and Haunter was hit with a rock tomb. Haunter phased through the pile of rocks but was hit once again and thrown back.

Morty had not yet called out any attacks but Haunter flew around like he didn't need any instructions and was okay with just flying around and taking hits. Copper gritted her teeth, anticipating the trap was surely going to spring any second now but Morty and Haunter were still.

"Finish it with rock tomb!" Copper yelled and Bruce kicked to air to indicate the rock's direction but none appeared.

Morty smirked in knowing but non-patronising way, "A Pokémon can only use a move so many times before it tires out and Gastly's spite sped up that process for your hitmonlee's rock tomb."

Copper clenched her fist in frustration and held out Bruce's pokéball, "Return Bruce." she commanded but the pokéball didn't respond.

"And mean look stops you from returning a Pokémon. Hitmonlee's staying out." Morty explained and Copper's eyes widened in surprise. Bruce was out with no way to fight back.

"Haunter, use hypnosis!" Morty called and the haunter swooped down to Bruce's level before blasting the hitmonlee with psychic light from its eyes. Bruce fell onto the ground and into a deep sleep.

"Wake up Bruce!" Copper cried but Bruce kept sleeping.

"Dream eater!" Morty's haunter made a biting motion and a pink ghostly mouth bit at Bruce's head. Bruce obviously took damage but there was nothing she could do. Haunter attacked Bruce over and over until a last bite caused Bruce, who'd been tossing in his sleep, to slump further and faint.

Bruce's pokéball finally recalled him and Copper sighed. "Nice strategy." she complimented before throwing out Lore.

"Used razor leaf!" Copper commanded and Lore shot into action, sending a wave of sharp leaves in Haunter's direction. The leaves caught a fleeing haunter who was knocked to the floor. Haunter didn't have time to get up as another razor leaf blew it back.

"Too bad Haunter'd taken all that damage from Bruce." said Copper as Morty threw out his final Pokémon.

Morty nodded, "But now we're on equal footing. Use mean look!"

Gengar's face glowed and Lore could do nothing but watch. Now she couldn't leave until one of them had fainted.

"Get Gengar with poison powder!" Copper ordered but Gengar stood there and took it without taking any damage.

"Don't forget to remember type immunities." instructed Morty, "Poison types cannot be poisoned." Copper smiled appreciatively. This battle with Morty felt more like the one with Steel, like she was learning and enjoying herself.

"Sweet scent!" she called and a haze spread from Lore's leaf to Gengar and a smile grew on its face though it made Gengar a lot creepier. "Razor leaf!" Copper called but Morty retaliated with sucker punch. Gengar sped towards Lore and as her leaf was whipping up the leaves Gengar threw its weight into an uppercut punch that threw Lore into the air.

"Continue Lore!" Copper ordered through gritted teeth and Lore contorted her body so she was facing Gengar as she flew upwards. Gengar's eyes widened as a stream of leaves rained down on it and blasted it off its feet. Lore landed hard on all fours but staggered under the impact.

"Hypnosis!" Morty called and Lore clenched her eyes shut while she was bombarded with the sleep-inducing light. On Copper's command Lore shot razor leaves blindly but to Morty and Gengar's surprise they landed.

Gengar's hypnosis was cut and it was thrown against the floor due to its unprepared stance. It struggled as it attempted to rise but it collapsed with a _thud_ on the battlefield.

Copper punched the air with her fists and ran to hug a celebrating Lore. Morty returned Gengar to its pokéball and said thanks to it. He looked to Copper and clapped.

"Well done!" he congratulated by Copper rested a hand on her hip.

"You went easy on me."

Morty shrugged, "My regular team is level 50. Many trainers of different ages and abilities challenged me in the old days and it would've been unfair to use them against a young trainer but you still proved your prowess to me. For someone who rarely battled for a long time you did excellently against a veteran trainer like me."

Copper smiled, "Thanks."

Morty walked over to a platform and picked someone from a box that escaped the spotlights. He strolled towards Copper and held up the object he'd taken out. It was a thin dark blue circle with a wisp, white border and two white marks.

"This is the fog badge, proof of your power and your victory of me." he handed it over proudly to Copper. "You're a strong trainer Copper and Steel is lucky to have met you. Once you start channelling your anger into fighting the correct people and not people who've done you no harm I believe that you could beat anyone."

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><p><strong>Sorry you couldn't see Steel's battle but I felt like giving some attention to Copper and seeing Morty battle with the same Pokémon twice would be boring.<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter because I'm going to be uploading more throughout the holidays.**

**Please review to tell me how to improve, this fic is for you! :D**


	16. Chapter 15

Lancer shot through route 29 with Steel atop his back which Steel though was exhilarating despite the furiously beating wings either side of him. Lancer's fly move allowed him to fly with even more speed than he could have naturally and Lancer was exploiting that by brushing past the trees.

It was a shame that route 29 was so short because Steel wanted to fly forever. Not only because it was so exciting but also because the danger stopped Steel from thinking about what Morty had said to him after their battle. However he couldn't keep his mind from wandering forever.

"_You have a good heart Steel but you'll find that one day it will do more harm than good." Morty sighed forlornly like he didn't want to say the next bit, "You have to remember that not all people can be saved."_

_Steel couldn't believe it. "What are you saying!? That I should give up on everyone to pursue my own interests!?"_

_Morty shook his head, "The Zephyr's leader was a gym leader, and a highly respected one at that, but after he tried to summon the legendaries, which would have inevitably killed thousands, the league had two choices, to imprison him or execute him. We chose the former out of mercy and it's because of that Kahto's in such a state now."_

"_You couldn't have possibly known that!" Steel protested, "You were just saving a life!"_

"_A life that has now killed countless others." Morty said solemnly. "I can honestly say that if I could correct one mistake, it would be letting him live." Morty's voice wasn't vengeful, it was sad. Silent filled the gym as Steel's mouth found no words to say._

"_Can you tell me his name?" Steel had asked because of meaningless curiosity._

"_I hope with all my heart that you never meet him, but I should at least tell you his name. Johto is your home and you should know who to blame." Morty breathed deeply and spoke the name like it was arsenic in his mouth. "His name is Falkner_, 'The Elegant Master of Flying Pokémon_'." the title sounded like a tasteless joke. "You can go now." Morty said after another silence, "If you save Elm quickly you can reach the Indigo City before you encounter any more danger."_

Steel was immersed in thought when Lancer suddenly shot upwards. Steel wrapped his hands around Lancer in a panic even though the power of fly wouldn't have let him fall. Lancer hovered way above the town while Steel surveyed in with fear.

For such a seemingly unimportant place there sure were a lot of Zephyrs roaming the town. Steel realised in annoyance that they were probably guarding Elm. He'd probably be using Brooke and Lancer since they were his strongest Pokémon and sending out all of them would probably ruin the whole 'covertness' of the operation though his plan was simply to plough through as many Zephyrs got in his way. Steel saw now that Lancer had noticed the swarm of Zephyrs and shot into the air to avoid detection by the Zephyrs below.

Steel cautiously took out Brooke's pokéball and the croconaw appeared. Brooke immediately noticed the height and leapt into Steel's arms where he cradled her reassuringly.

"Sorry Brooke," he said, "But don't worry, we won't be up here for too long." Steel pointed to the patrollers below. "I need you to help knock all of them out so we can save Professor Elm."

Brooke perked up strangely at the sound of his name and nodded determinedly. Steel smiled to show his appreciation and called out Antheia who was mercifully small because Lancer's back was getting crowded.

Unlike Brooke, Antheia was unfazed by the height and revelled in Brooke's scared face. Steel couldn't understand Pokémon talk but he could tell that Antheia's chuckles weren't compliments.

"Don't make fun!" Steel chastised and Antheia flicked her leaves. "Antheia, we'll need you to use stun spore and paralyze all the Zephyrs down there." Antheia turned her back on Steel and began whipping up a cloud of yellow haze.

It fell down on the Zephyrs and Steel watched happily as they dropped one by one. He pulled on his mask and goggles to prepare for the cloud that hadn't dissipated yet. He commanded Lancer to descend and they sped towards New Bark Town.

The commotion hadn't yet caused any Zephyrs to come out of the houses but Steel kept his eyes peeled and Brooke by his side. They all leapt off Lancer's back and landed on the muddy ground. The mud was gritty and had remnants of plants stuck out everywhere but none of the greenery had penetrated the ugly mud. There were two large houses to the north of the small town but Steel reasoned that the bigger one would be the lab.

It had two stories with a vivid green tiled roof and white walls. There was a windmill next to it and Steel snuck up to the building. There was a window on the first floor that Steel could have peered into but he would have been noticed considering it had no glass pane. Instead he looked through the window in the red door. Steel was almost too short to look inside but his eyes met the edge and he immediately wished they didn't.

The lab's equipment had been broken and was left sparking on the floor. Two men were inside and, to Steel's surprise, were heading his way. He turned to Brooke, Lancer and Antheia, "Antheia, Lancer, clear the town. Brooke, help me get these guys outta the way."

Lancer nodded and shot into a nearby house but Antheia walked away a lot more grudgingly. Steel and Brooke watched them go before quickly darting out of the door's way. It opened and the two Zephyrs were immediately attacked by Brooke's rage. She hit the one closest to her but the other dived out of the way. Her punch had winded the first Zephyr and caused him to sink to his knees but Steel noticed that he was still conscious.

"I've got him!" Steel yelled before Brooke advanced on the second Zephyr who'd begun charging at Steel.

"He-!" the cry for help was cut off by Brooke and Steel kicked the slumped man in the face with only slight hesitation, knocking the Zephyr out. Brooke waddled up to Steel and with her by his side he built up the confidence to enter the laboratory.

They entered and Steel immediately recoiled, from the stench of misery and blood and the sight of the third man.

He was no Zephyr; he wore a torn, dirty, bloodstained white lab coat. His white hair had almost completely receded and his face... His face was nearly unrecognisable as a human's for it was a mass of cuts, bruises and blood. Steel screamed at the sight but stopped at the realisation of where he was and Professor Elm's reaction.

"Use heal bell!" he ordered as he rapidly threw out Charlie's pokéball and she appeared. Immediately she closed her eyes serenely and a soft green light radiated from her. The sight and quiet chiming themselves felt healing but when it reached Elm all his cuts sealed and bruises faded. It didn't wipe the blood away but the change was unbelievably better.

Elm tried to move away from Steel, which was made clear through his terrified eyes, but was too fragile and broken to actually do anything.

"It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to save you." Steel spoke reassuringly and Elm calmed down. "Lancer!" Steel called and then he looked to Brooke, "Can you go get them for me?" he asked her and then she ran off into the outside. Elm's unfocused eyes finally noticed her and he attempted to talk.

"M-my-my tot-od-dile..." he began but it became violet coughing. However Steel caught the gist.

"Brooke was _your_ totodile?" he asked but Elm continued trying to speak but it was completely incomprehensible spluttering.

Steel furrowed his eyebrows, "You must be in so much pain."

To his shock Elm shook his head, "Not a-as... they t-took f-f-ami-ly."

Steel's face fell even more so but his hatred for the Zephyrs rose dramatically with every moment. They heard footsteps and Steel wheeled around only to see Brooke, Lancer and Antheia standing on the threshold.

Steel grinned at the sight of them. Lancer and Brooke nodded to give him the all clear then he returned all the Pokémon except Lancer who hovered closer. Steel helped the professor to his feet and Lancer grabbed him in his thin arms while Steel jumped onto his back.

Lancer looked down nervously before flying off at a considerably slower speed. Everyone in New Bark Town was unconscious so they met no resistance as they flew into route 29. Lancer was considerate of Elm's condition so he flew at a sensible altitude and pace. It meant that it took them longer to get back than it took to get there.

They reached the brick dome but Lancer didn't even get to touch the clay before the ethereal light enveloped them.

Lancer and Steel just managed to keep their stomachs together but Elm fell to his knees and threw up over the abyss' edge as soon as they landed. Morty's eyes widened and he ran to Professor Elm to guide him away.

Once he was satisfied that Elm was in no danger of falling Morty turned to Steel and left Elm with his head in his hands.

"Sorry for teleportation over such a large distance but the situation has become dire." Morty apologised.

Steel looked around and noticed they were the only ones in the gym, "Where's Copper?"

"She's in Olivine," Morty said quickly.

"What!? That's the completely opposite direction to the Indigo City!" Steel protested.

"I know. She's in Olivine to catch an electric type for defence."

"What about Indigo City!?" Steel demanded but Morty raised his hands to silence him.

"I had a premonition. You _can't_ go the Indigo Plateau that way." Morty sighed, "Falkner would follow you if you went through route 27 and he cannot be allowed to reach the city."

Steel's pupils contracted in fear, "H-how?"

"Professor Elm's laboratory was bugged and Blair's reported everything he knows about you to Falkner. Now he knows your destination and where you were."

Steel's fear slowly became anger, "So what do we do now?" he asked and Morty pointed to the pokégear on Steel's wrist.

"Follow your pokégear to Olivine and when you meet Copper there you can fly to Blackthorn. If you show the Fog badge to anyone in the gym they'll show you the way to Clair's tunnel. From there you can reach the city."

"That'll take ages! And if Falkner _is_ following us then we'll be killed before we get there!"

Morty closed his eyes in frustration, "It's the choice between many being killed or you two _possibly_ being killed."

Steel heard the pain in Morty's voice and swallowed his arguments. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Copper has my pokégear so if you two get separated again. If you need her call 'Morty'." Steel turned his back on Morty and Lancer buzzed. Steel hopped onto his back and they were about to fly out when Morty spoke up.

"I am truly sorry Steel. My misdreavus can give you a head start on Falkner but from then on I can't guarantee your safety after that point." Steel nodded and a misdreavus appeared from behind Morty. Its eyes glowed and the light filled Steel's eyes.

Lancer and Steel materialised outside and Lancer stumbled in the air before regaining altitude and began flying towards Olivine. While Lancer flew Steel looked back wistfully and though the dome soon disappeared from sight he was missing the safety he'd felt there for a long time.

* * *

><p>Falkner watched the screen with his head resting on his hand boredly but he still watched with morbid fascination, not at what he was watching but at himself. He knew watching the professor being beat up was sick but he'd passed the point of wondering whether he was insane years ago.<p>

Eventually the two Zephyrs tired and walked away so he sat back in his chair. He listened to the metallic clanking of skarmony feet and the clicking of a pidgeot's beak but then he heard commotion from behind the camera's view. He perked up and saw a young boy run to the professor's aid.

The boy's miltank used heal bell and Falkner mused that he hadn't seen the professor's face in thirteen years. He watched them escape and when the boy turned in the hidden camera's direction Falkner finally connected the dots.

The goggles and mask around his neck, the silvery-blue hair and brown eyes, it was the 'fierce opponent' Blair had described. He had expected Blair's description to contain _some_ hyperbole but he hadn't expected him to be so young. They moved out of the camera's range and Falkner stood up.

Pidgeot flew down from the building's rafters and landed next to Falkner, spreading its wings readily. The pokégear that Blair had described could only mean one thing and him being in New Bark Town meant that he was probably hiding in Cherrygrove City along with that coward Morty. He'd spent too much time trying to destroy that infernal city but the psychic energy that surrounded it was too powerful to combat.

Falkner mounted Pidgeot and they sped outside the large wooden doors of the Violet City Gym. For fourteen years he'd been searching for an opportunity to find and destroy the cowardly trainers who imprisoned him and have been trying to kill him ever since and now the foolish boy, who held the key, was going to lead him there.

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><p><strong>The 15th chapter and the one month anniversary of this fic, woo! :D (<em>Well technically 16th but I don't count the prologue<em>)_  
><em>**

**I'd just like to say thank you to everyone whose read this story, without you guys I never would've continued writing this!**

**I hope you liked the bit at the end because next chapter will be _big_!**

**Thank you for reading and please review to tell me how to improve, this fic is for you! XD**


	17. Chapter 16

Johto seemed to be so small from the sky. The forest that had taken a day to traverse was passed by in a minute. Flocks of flying Pokémon were passed as if they were on the ground and despite his hatred for the group who'd associated themselves with it, Steel found himself loving flying.

Of course he was terrified at the prospect of Falkner following them. He hadn't ever met him but the way everyone regarded the leader made him glad that he hadn't. Steel shivered. He must have done something horrendous to become so infamous.

Every minute or so he'd check the map app on the pokégear and correct Lancer's path but soon the Glitter Lighthouse was in view and so was Olivine City. Copper had turned on Morty's old pokégear so its location now turned up on Steel's map.

Olivine was a seaside city that must have looked very pleasant at one point but now there were the remnants of a concrete wall outlining the border and a massive closed factory nearby. Though unlike route 32 there was no smoke polluting the airspace.

The lighthouse didn't look like Steel had expected. It had the tall tower with walls covered in windows but it was only that from a certain point. It was on top of a rectangular building which made it look surprisingly small. Steel noticed a hatch on the roof for flying entrances and order Lancer to slow down. They landed on the angled blue roof. Steel thanked Lancer and returned him to his pokéball, realising how tired flying all the way from Cherrygrove had tired him.

He pulled open the hatch cautiously, the wild winds threatening to send him over the edge, and dangled his legs over the wood. He breathed deeply and gripped the hatch before dropping down. The impact turned his legs to jelly and he collapsed. He heard Copper yelp in surprise as he staggered to his feet and met eyes with a strange Pokémon.

It was bright yellow and had a white belly. It's long tail, neck and ears had black stripes. It had a red orb at the end of its tail and on its forehead. It looked at Steel with black beady eyes and Steel raised his hands defensively for its tail was sparking threateningly.

"It's okay Pharaoh." Copper said reassuringly before turning to Steel, "How's Professor Elm?"

Steel grimaced at the memory, "Better." he spoke uncertainly, "So... we've got to go to Blackthorn now." his voice was laced with bitterness but they were ignoring the donphan in the room.

"Yeah," she suddenly perked up like she'd just remembered something. She unclipped a pokéball off her belt and threw a Pokémon out, "Introducing... Raiden the magneton!"

It was an even stranger Pokémon than the lighthouse ampharos. It was comprised of three metal spheres each with a single eye, two magnets and several screws attached to them. Its cry was metallic and distorted and Copper looked at it proudly.

"Now we have something that's super effective against the Zephyrs."

Steel couldn't bear the unspoken tension, "Do-do you know?" he began but Copper finished, her terror hidden behind a mask of nonchalance.

"That the Zephyr leader is probably following us? Yes Steel I do know. I was there when Morty had his premonition, it was really strange. We were in the gym waiting for you when all of a sudden he was acting like he'd been shot in the head and the next thing I knew he was telling me to fly to Olivine City."

"What's the leader like?"

Copper clenched her eyes and spoke oddly like she regretted the memory and was haunted by it, "I've only seen him once, in Ecruteak." she looked at Steel with the same look she'd had in route 36 but she paused while trying to find the words, "He's wicked in every sense of the word. He commands people and Pokémon like a master but is utterly insane. He has this... laugh, and it's awful!"she shuddered at the memory, "He doesn't care who gets hurt and he just revels in anyone's pain."

The description seemed unreal, like no-one could possibly that mad, but from what everyone said about him made Steel ready to believe anything.

Copper was about to return Raiden when something shot through the window. Time stopped momentarily as they watched a single shard of rock pierce the glass and imbed itself in the floor. Then it restarted spectacularly as the pane shattered and everybody's ear were bombarded with the terrible noise of shattered glass and howling winds. They all looked at the rock's origin and the two trainers screamed.

Three large shaped could be seen coming closer and they all looked bird like. Copper and Steel didn't have time to get a better look at the incoming Pokémon because they'd already started to get away and their eyes were clouding in panic.

Copper threw Conrad out and addressed all the Pokémon while shepherding Steel down the ladder. "Distract them with thunder or thunderbolt," she ordered the two electric types then she turned to Conrad, "Try send them to sleep!"

She backed up and slid down the ladder. The Glitter Lighthouse had six floors but traversing between the levels wasn't easy because of the walls and the many ladders. As Steel and Copper sprinted across each story the sound of shattering glass increased in frequency until it stopped with jarring silence.

Steel stopped to listen out but Copper hissed at him, "Keep moving!" she shoved him from behind just as something penetrated the silence, as something penetrated the lighthouse wall. Copper's eyes widened, "Keep moving!" she yelled and they began sprinting but they were sprinting too slowly. The sound of bullet-like rocks shooting through the walls increased no matter how fast they ran.

They'd reached the penultimate level and saw the stairs to the ground floor when the rocks started shooting above their heads. Copper screamed as they leapt down the stairs and the rocks stopped. They took a small moment to throw out some Pokémon as there would undoubtedly be someone outside the lighthouse waiting for them.

Brooke, Lancer, Charlie, Ferro, Lore, Jolie and Bruce appeared in the lighthouse foyer and braced for going outside. They ran blindly and yelled attacks but when they opened their eyes they saw all attempts being effortlessly dodged.

The three Pokémon were intimidating and Steel could feel the power between every flap of their wings from the ground. There was an aerodactyl and xatu but Copper couldn't place the last Pokémon. It reminded her of a pidegot but it was all wrong. It was larger, its wings had blue accents and its hair-like plumage was shorter and spikier. Her mind flickered through all the possibilities but couldn't believe the one it decided on.

Xatu and the strange pidgeot hovered menacingly in the air while the aerodactyl finished circling the lighthouse and Steel finally saw the infamous leader of the Zephyrs.

He was atop the rock/flying type and commanding it fiercely as it attacked the ampharos and Raiden. Copper cried out when the rocks knocked Raiden out of the sky and it plummeted to the shore but immediately regretted it for it was then the aerodactyl turned to face them.

The leader's blue hair was wild like his eyes and Steel could see how the Zephyr uniform was based off his outfit. He wore a blue short sleeved and a darker blue outfit with black and red arm bands but Steel wasn't thinking about that. He was thinking about how short his life was going to be.

His commands couldn't be heard over the winds but the Pokémon had more acute hearing than Copper and Steel. The pidgeot raised its wings and the xatu's eyes began to glow. Steel and Copper anticipated an attack and ordered countermoves but as the air and psychic slash shot through their blasts and the following shockwave knocked them off their feet.

Steel landed on his injured arm and cried out in pain then Falkner started laughing. The sound cut through Steel's brain and sent it on a fear overdrive. He was laughing at Steel's suffering and suddenly Steel started to believe everyone's stories of how insane he was and it terrified him.

Falkner flew closer and Steel leapt clumsily to his feet along with Copper as the aerodactyl raised its wings. Steel glanced at the million holes that littered the Glitter Lighthouse because of that aerodactyl. Its attack had punctured a wall! Steel didn't want to see what it would do to a human.

They sprinted across the small hill on which the lighthouse stood and hid behind the building as the rocks blasted the ground but they'd been too optimistic. The pidgeot and xatu struck them again, propelling them back into Falkner's view.

"Ember! Razor leaf! Rock tomb!" Copper yelled. Jolie and Lore dug their feet into the ground so they could stand against the gales and shot fire and leaves at the aerodactyl but the moves were torn apart.

"Rock throw! Water gun! Twinneedle! Acid!" Steel added and soon all the Pokémon were trying to attack the flying types. The aerodactyl formed a shield and they saw Falkner jump off it. It was too much for Steel to hope because the pidgeot swopped to catch him. The following air slash hit the group to their side and stopped their attacks.

"Ember!" Copper ordered again but what started off as spitting flames turned into a jet of swirling fire. Copper's eyes widened at the sudden power of Jolie's attack but soon recognised it.

"Use fire spin!" she called and the flames spun around the pidgeot, halting its movements.

"Stealth rock!" Steel ordered and Ferro the onix shot sharp rocks around the xatu. Now Falkner couldn't move.

Steel and Copper released another onslaught of attacks which successfully hit the flying Pokémon. Copper noticed Raiden lying on the ground and ran to him, leaving Steel to command the Pokémon. Aerodactyl used protect again and the attacks rebounded against the shield.

Xatu was lurking above Copper but neither Copper or Steel saw its eyes glow, threatening an attack. Copper had just returned Raiden to his pokéball when Xatu raised its wings to launch a psyshock but before it could hit her something collided into the bird. A glowing Pokémon knocked the bird back and away from Copper. The noctowl couldn't do anything more than faze such a powerful xatu but the warning allowed Copper to sprint out of range.

The birds attacked against and sliced through their moves and Steel looked hopelessly at his Pokémon who were exhausted and then to Falkner's who looked fine. Nothing they did was working. Steel once again fell to the ground after more blasts since Xatu and Pidgeot were fine with not moving. The aerodactyl sprayed the ground with rocks again and Steel felt his skin rip. He screamed and Copper ran to him. He clenched his side and looked at his hand which was covered in blood. His body was exploding in pain and he couldn't move. Falkner took full advantage of this.

The ground shook with the force of their moves and for a terrifying moment the entire lighthouse swayed but the scarier thing was the sly look on Falkner's face. His birds turned to face the lighthouse and the aerodactyl flew round the back. The hill started shaking violently as did the lighthouse.

"Earthquake!" she screamed and at the sight of the looming building she started calling back her Pokémon. Steel's vision was descending in darkness but he pulled out the pokéballs with his bloody, shaking arms. He wasn't going to let anything happen to them.

Xatu and Pidgeot blasted the Glitter Lighthouse and Copper gripped Steel's shoulder as he sagged. She tried to pull him to safety but she was too slow and ended up watching as the lighthouse tower started to fall. Copper sprinted but was drastically slowed while dragging her unconscious friend.

Falkner marvelled the power of his Pokémon as he watched the building that had stood against time and storms alike fall. He watched and laughed as the girl had to let the boy go and the tower collapsed. He was upset that the lighthouse actually missed the two but then he saw the shockwave hurl them into the ocean. He sneered, satisfied, and began flying back. All he needed were a few powerful flaps of Aerodactyl's wings to dispel the stealth rocks and fire spins.

He knew that he'd gone easy on them since aerodactyl could have destroyed them in seconds but didn't but that was the most fun he'd had in a long time. Spicing up his otherwise boring day was worth the opinions of dead people being slighting skewed. He looked back at the ocean while aerodactyl kept heading for Violet City, thinking about why Morty'd asked such weak trainers to run errands for him and how on earth the boy defeated all the Zephyrs in New Bark Town. He'd have to deal with them when he got back.

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><p><strong>So that's that. Have a nice holiday! ;)<strong>

**As always, hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review to tell me how to improve. :D**


	18. Chapter 17

The darkness that filled Steel's eyes did not dissipate when they opened. Instead only immense pain came with consciousness, not that it would be for long. He could already feel himself slipping away as his lungs yearned for the oxygen that just wasn't there.

His Pokémon hadn't been called back in time but he hoped they'd managed to get away. He was mildly aware but was too confused to recognise whether it was a dream or not. The pain in his lungs and side felt very feel but he felt like he was floating and all he could see was black. His hair waved around like it was slow motion and in a storm. The bandages on his arm were drifting away like his consciousness.

All his energy had gone so he couldn't escape when he felt a clawed hand tug at his soaked jacket. It pulled him towards the light but not in time. He'd fainted by then. Even the pain couldn't keep him awake through the oxygen deprivation.

But to his surprise he woke up again, not sure whether that was a good thing or not. He gasped and coughed up water while something kept fussing near him. He tried to open his eyes but his pain was like anvils on his face, forcing them shut.

"Steel?" asked a familiar voice but Steel's brain was too blurry to decipher who it was. He heard the voice become more panicked, "Steel! Please move or something!" He recognised it as Copper and Steel sighed in relief. She was okay, hopefully.

He tried again to open his eyes again but all he managed to do was cough. At least she knew he was alive.

"Steel...your arm," Steel's head lolled but he finally managed to force and eye open. His vision stung was blurry with salt water but he saw what Copper was talking about.

His dad had told him that his arm had been hit by rock and that the bandages were to stop the wounds from reopening so he'd imagined that it would be bloody and bruised, like Elm before Charlie healed him, but what he saw beneath the sodden and untied bandages was black and shiny skin. Steel tried to sit up but the rocks he was laying on cut into his uninjured arm when he tried.

"It's a burn," Steel spluttered and Copper nodded curiously but then, to Steel's surprise, she hugged Steel with tears in her eyes.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" she said happily and Steel returned the hug.

"Me too." he looked around but all he saw were ragged boulders, the shore and Copper. "Where's the Pokémon!?" he cried, overwhelmed with a sudden rush of worry. He felt inside his soaking jacket but found nothing except blood. He winced and pressed his jacket against the wound.

Copper rested a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "I returned them after Brooke found you." Steel sighed in relief and started observing his surroundings.

He was facing the ocean and was sitting on a beach of rubble. The mountain behind them had collapsed at some point and had littered the shore. Steel brought his wrist up and saw a relatively unscathed pokégear strapped there.

"Wow," he marvelled at the device's durability and Copper laughed.

"They are built for trainers. They'd be worthless if a little bit of water destroyed them."

Steel nodded in agreement and looked around once more. As his head started to clear more questions came to him. He tried to operate the pokégear but his arm was shaking too much to press the little buttons accurately.

"So do you know where we are?"

Copper consulted Morty's pokégear and her eyes widened, "Woah...We're in Cianwood."

Steel furrowed his eyebrows at the carnage, "What happened here?"

"Cianwood was what the war was fought over so collateral damage was some of this."

"Yeah but this place is completely razed. Why would Hoenn have destroyed what they wanted to get?" Copper shrugged and then winced. Steel noticed that she was rubbing her shoulder, "Are you okay?" he asked, feeling self-conscious about all the attention on his injuries.

Copper smiled weakly, "I'm just a bit sore from hitting the water but I'm seriously fine. Anyway, it was the disasters that really got this place with the mountain," she gestured behind them, "and the ocean so nearby." she pointed to the water.

"Seems counter-productive, all those deaths for something that you eventually destroy."

"War is stupid." she rolled her arms stiffly and got up, "I'll try to find some wood for a fire and then we can go to sleep."

Steel nodded and took off his jacket then tied it around his waist. Copper had left his pokéballs on a nearby rock so he reached over and released them. He beamed at the sight of them and even more as they (minus Ferro and Antheia) rushed to hug him.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" he cried as Brooke, Charlie and Lancer dived at him. He winced again and Charlie mooed sadly, "I'm fine guys," he reassured but Charlie still looked concerned so before he could do anything she used heal bell. He didn't want them worrying about him, that was his job, but he couldn't help smiling as the pain ebbed. It didn't go away but it was comforting to know that he was no longer in any danger from bleeding to death.

He hugged Charlie again and smiled at Ferro, who he couldn't hug for fear of being crushed, and his boulder-like face tried to express happiness but rock wasn't the most expressive material. Antheia stayed away from all the affection as if it was contagious but smiled softly.

Copper came over and released all her Pokémon to give them some air and started a fire. They sat on the rocky beach and ate a mixture of berries reminiscent of his meals at Mount Mortar while Steel tore apart a t-shirt Copper gave him and wrapped it around his arms. They eventually drifted to sleep and they woke up when Ferro growled apprehensively. He'd noticed something flying coming into view. Steel shot up and Ferro coiled like an ekans ready to strike but at the last moment Copper stopped them. She got up off the floor and stared at the incoming Pokémon incredulously.

"It-it's Conrad!" she exclaimed as the weathered Pokémon landed on the rocks and wheezed. Copper didn't know how to react. She'd expected Conrad to have just flown off after it seemed like they both died in the sea. She looked unsurely to Steel who looked just as confused as she was.

Conrad flapped his wings hurriedly like he was trying to convey something, there was terror in his eyes but no-one knew what he was warning. Steel looked to Brooke who was listening intently and then she pointed with a blue claw to the pokégear on his wrist. She was pointing to the map app with equal fear. Steel moved her claw out of the way to see where she was pointing to and his stomach dropped when he looked on the Mahogany Town icon.

"What's happening in Mahogany!?" he asked but Brooke couldn't tell him.

Copper looked to Conrad in confusion but the two trainers' frustration grew as each Pokémon got the news but couldn't find a way to convey it to Copper or Steel. Steel looked to Copper but looked resolved.

"Let's fly to Mahogany. It's on the way to Blackthorn anyway and if _Conrad_ came to warn us, it's something we need to see."

Steel nodded and Lancer hovered up to him but Steel turned seriously to his Pokémon, "I won't make you guys go if you don't want to." Steel looked down as the guilt from the day before welled up, "It's thanks to me that you all got hurt yesterday and it's only through luck that none of your injuries were severe and I don't want you guys to risk getting hurt unnecessarily."

The Pokémon all looked to one and other but shocked Steel by unanimously stepping forwards, even Antheia. Steel felt his eyes fogging up and beamed at them proudly. Copper's Pokémon looked at her and she grinned happily. Jolie blew celebratory flames into the air and Raiden, who Copper had healed while Steel was unconscious, sparked enthusiastically. Lancer revved his wings and Steel jumped on his back. He returned his Pokémon to their pokéballs as did Copper and she halted before climbing onto Conrad's back.

The two Pokémon shot into the air and the trainers trusted the Pokémon to know where to go. They flew across Johto with the cold winds tearing at their faces and found the Pokémon heading across to Mount Mortar. Just the sight of his old home made his heart wrench with homesickness but he couldn't return, even for a short time. He'd seem like a failure or possibly bring danger to the poképhobics there.

Steel and Copper's eyes were scanning the region for trouble but the only visible problem was the block of noxious fog that covered Ecruteak City. Conrad and Lancer hovered to the south of route 42. Copper glanced down at her noctowl, confused, but he was determinedly surveying Mahogany. They saw nothing until something large and fiery hit the mountain range and exploded.

Lancer and Conrad darted backwards but then everyone's eyes fell onto the dark spots surrounding Mahogany Town and the crowds that swarmed the walls. Copper recognised the dark spots as birds and Steel cried out at the realisation that the crowd was trying to destroy the walls.

"They're invading!" Copper yelled above the winds and Steel glanced unsurely between Mahogany and the faint city of Blackthorn.

"Which one?" he asked, his voice simultaneously raised to be heard and meek to not. Copper's face was void of emotion as she balanced the two options but then hardened in grim determination and her eyes were locked on Mahogany.

"The Zephyrs would have come from Ecruteak City. That means Janus and Rose will be there and the people of Mahogany would need as much help as they can get."

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><p><strong>Sorry for the cliffhanger over the holidays (<em>Mwuhaha! No I'm not ;)<em>) but I hope you enjoyed them.**

**Next few chapters : The battle of Mahogany**

**As always, hope you enjoyed the chapter and please review to tell me how to improve :D**


	19. Chapter 18

Now he had Copper's assurance, Steel dived down with no hesitation with Copper soon following. The walls had not yet been breached and Steel kept glancing anxiously to Mount Mortar which was not the centre of attention but could be caught in cross-fire once the fighting started.

Steel flew down to Mahogany town while Copper shot above the Zephyr ranks, bombarding the less aware eyes with hypnosis.

"What 'cha doing here!?" someone demanded from the Mahogany side and Steel looked around. He was the clear leader of Mahogany town, his posture and demeanour was that of a leader and everyone seemed to rally around the town dark haired man. Steel's breath came out in white clouds, it being really cold from the pure ice being shot at the wall to maintain it.

"I'm here with my friend to help. We saw the Zephyrs outside and want to fight them off with you."

The man rolled his eyes, "'Fight them off'? No need. The ice clad walls held out through the war and they've held out against the bastards!" The last sentence brought about a cheer from the Mahogany people.

"Have you seen the sheer number of Zephyr's out there!? There's no way you can stand against that!"

"'Course we can, it's basic Pokémon facts, ice trumps flying."

Steel was about to retort exasperatedly but Lancer suddenly lurched from the wall being hit by a large projectile. It was only thanks to the power of fly that he didn't fall to the ground. Conrad suddenly darted across the wall just as another thing shook the wall.

The people's eyes immediately locked onto her noctowl and Steel cried out before anyone tried to attack her, "She's my friend! She's on our side!"

Copper jumped off Conrad's back and returned him to save her hide before raising her hands as a gesture of peace. "I'm not Zephyr." she said calmly, "but there's an awful lot of them out there."

Something on the other side of the wall started ramming the wall on quick fire. Steel glanced around wide eyed, "What's that!?"

Copper looked grim, "Gunfire,"

Steel looked around with a confused look on his face, "What's that?"

The man stepped forwards, ignoring Steel and looking anxiously at Copper, "They have guns?"

Copper nodded and Steel interjected, "What are guns?"

"Remember how that aerodactyl shot the lighthouse with stones?" Steel's side pained with the memory and he nodded, scared of what he'd hear next, "A gun is a machine that allows humans to do that." Steel jumped off Lancer.

"They're really serious about an invasion this time..." the man thought aloud then he looked Steel and Copper in the eyes. "What are your names?"

Copper and Steel answered and the man held out his hand, "I'm Gerado. Thanks for coming. If they hadn't brought guns then we would have been ignorant, sitting psyducks." Gerado turned to the crowd, "All children and the elderly must go to the Rocket Bunker and everyone who has a Pokémon can either prepare for an attack or keep up the defence."

The people split up and headed to their appropriate positions, the most vulnerable of the lot crowding into an inconspicuous house.

"What's that place?" Steel asked while he sent out Ferro, Lancer, Antheia and Brooke.

Gerado was dealing with his cloyster and dewgong, "It used to be a base for an evil organisation but when the war came we adapted it. We _have_ been next to Ecuteak after all." He looked up and down the line of Pokémon, including Copper's vulpix, hitmonlee, bayleef and magneton, and yelled a command.

Projectiles were shot into the sky and rained down on the Zephyr army outside though they didn't see the outcome. Gerado ordered the Pokémon to keep the attacks up and as the onslaught of moves continued, the number of incoming birds lessened.

The wall still shook with force but every time a crack would appear there'd be an ice beam to seal it. However, the cracks continued to spread in a web-like pattern as the Zephyrs chipped away at the actual stone.

Gerado knew that the town's people would never hold up long against an army, at the moment the best offense was a good defence but that could only last for so long...

Copper found her way through the lines of attacking Pokémon to Steel, "Steel, if they breach the walls they're done for."

Steel bit his lip, "I know," he sighed, "but what can we do?"

Copper glanced from the wall to her Pokémon, "We'll go over the wall and attack them from there. If we single out the generals we can scatter the attackers."

Steel recalled his Pokémon and threw out Lancer who'd been resting. "Be careful." he said and Copper nodded.

"You too." Steel didn't wait for her to call out Conrad and shot off. Lancer avoided all the attacks that rained down and started shooting twineedles down onto the army. They hit the ground and sent everyone nearby flying off their feet. He'd created a clearing so he jumped off Lancer's back before calling out Ferro.

Some people and Pokémon from Mahogany were beginning to leap over the wall to push the Zephyrs away before it broke so soon ice was flying everywhere.

"Stealth rock!" he called and transparent rocks formed a protective shield around Ferro and Steel. The birds that tried to attack them were forced back by sharp rocks. Steel threw out all his Pokémon and ordered them to force the Zephyrs back while Copper rode atop Conrad, searching for Janus and Rose while using hypnosis on the rest.

"Stun spore! Rollout!" the fleet of incoming fearow seized up and Charlie knocked them down like bowling pins. Antheia ran out of Ferro's shield and Steel cried out. A hoard of hoot-hoot swooped down on her but her face was full of stubborn determination.

"Acid!" he ordered and she blasted the nearby Pokémon. She grinned as they all fell and then she began to glow. Steel looked on proudly and he saw her grow. She grew arms and began less round. The leaves on her head flattened and a flower sprouted in the centre. The glow shattered and Antheia looked at her new form with a pleased smile. She'd remained the same colour but now her leaves had turned the colour of rust and the flower was brown. Steel was shocked at how drastic the change had been since she'd always been so cute but he was happy that she seemed happy.

"Absorb!" he ordered but the following move was much more powerful. The attacking flying types staggered and Brooke blasted them with water. Steel suddenly was shoved off Ferro's back and he fell to the ground with a painful collision. He rolled onto his back to get a look of what had attacked him when something leapt at him, baring its oversized fangs.

* * *

><p>Copper's eyes were like that of a noctowl's, constantly watching. She scanned the crowds and tried looking for <em>them<em>. Zephyrs fell as they foolishly looked up at Conrad who was continuously radiating psychic energy from his eyes but she hoped that they'd be more sensible than that. This had to be resolved now.

Conrad's wings were spread to hover when one suddenly snapped shut. He lost balance and Copper rolled off, stifling a scream as she grabbed one of his feet. Conrad tried flapping his wings to gain altitude but it was weak and they continued their quick descent.

Copper let go and hit the ground, the force sent her to her knees but she was prepared and threw out Raiden. "Thunderbolt!" she yelled blindly but the lightning hit air. She got up and looked around the suspicious clearing.

A powerful gust hit her back and she fell head first to the floor. She looked around and a wave of sand blasted her face. She screamed in pain, her skin blistered and her eyes unbearable. "Thunderbolt!" she yelled hoarsely, her throat was sandpaper.

Someone kicked her and though she was blind she guessed who. She unclipped Jolie's pokéball and ordered fire spin. She wrenched open an eye and cried out, her vision was so painful but all that mattered is that she could glare properly.

Through the grit she saw evil incarnate. Flames surrounded a tall man with nothing but darkness in his eyes and a woman with billowing red hair that Copper wished would catch fire. She got to her feet and threw out all her Pokémon but was knocked back to the ground. They were ignoring her Pokémon entirely and were just focusing on her.

"Copper, you know that actions get punished." chastised Rose; her voice was a bitter blend of malice and mockery.

Copper pained with the memories of being beat up by their Pokémon and rage numbed the pain so all she could feel was anger. "Mega kick! Razor leaf! Fire spin! Magnet bomb!" Copper yelled but their fearow and pidgeotto formed a wall that protected them.

Another blast of air knocked them all back but Copper kept getting up. She ordered her Pokémon to attack again and Raiden unleashed an electro-ball on the fearow. They were weakening, Copper could tell that, but she knew that Janus and Rose wouldn't care about their well-being as long as they were conscious.

"Tackle!" she called and Lore charged at them with her full weight. The pidgeotto tried to catch the attack but Rose watched incredulously as her pathetic daughter's Pokémon knocked back her much larger pidgeotto. "Razor leaf!" Rose quickly raised her arms to protect herself but recoiled as the leaves cut into her skin.

"Don't be so insolent!" Janus growled as he threw out another Pokémon. It was another infernal bird but fear crept up Copper's spine as she recognised its dark plumage, proud beak and blood red accents. "Night slash!" he ordered and the Pokémon flew at Copper.

Lore intercepted its flight and knocked it out of the air but Copper hit the ground hard as the night slash tore at her. She wanted to clench her eyes shut, but that would leave her in the dark, the evil, malicious dark.

"Mega kick!" she yelled through her terror and Bruce jumped to the honchkrow's level, knocking it out of the air. Lore looked back at her trembling trainer and then to the honchkrow. Lore growled and cried out angrily. She glowed and grew while the honchkrow and Bruce battled it out.

The leaf on her head split and took the shape of antennae, the large buds around her neck finally blossomed and the glow shattered, revealing a large, green, angry grass-type dinosaur. Janus and Rose glared at Lore the meganium but weren't deterred so easily. They didn't care how strong it was for it was only a mere grass-type.

"Aerial ace!" Rose commanded but Lore took the fearow head on, whipping its neck around so it avoided the move and knocked the fearow to the ground.

"Dark pulse!" Janus yelled and the honchkrow dove towards Copper. Copper was paralysed in fear, cursing herself for her weakness but caving to it anyway. Fearow was pecking furiously at her Pokémon but Rose and her husband were beginning to acknowledge that they were being outnumbered.

Honchkrow was immersed in darkness and he prepared to release the energy when all of a sudden something crashed into it. It cawed angrily and faced its opponent, a noctowl. The noctowl charged once again using sky attack and knocked the honchkrow back.

Copper looked at Conrad as he fought the dark type when she realised that she was proud, proud that something that was born to be evil changed. Copper got to her feet despite her shaking limbs and started taking charge of the Pokémon that were fighting for her.

She split her Pokémon up into those who were fighting fearow and those who were fighting honchkrow and she grinned at Janus and Rose who were forced to watch as the girl they'd tormented for all those years fought back, and was winning.

Jolie had trapped them within a ring of flames and Bruce's powerful legs allowed it to jump up to the flying Pokémon and fight. Lore used her new size to tackle other Zephyrs out of the way; Raiden blasted the birds with super effective electricity and Conrad was darting around the battle using sky attack.

Fearow and honchkrow fell and the six of them turned to Janus and Rose. The two of them could have just disappeared from Johto right then and there but Copper halted. The adrenaline from the battle still ran through her veins and every part of her wanted to do it but she just couldn't do, she was only fifteen.

The world had shrunk just to eight and all the fighting outside had faded. Copper wanted them to fear her, to cry just like she had but they remained stone cold and heartless. "I knew you'd be too weak." Janus spat and Conrad's rage built up. He sped at them and Copper did nothing to stop him. He was charging but suddenly the world stopped.

Conrad froze in mid-flight and Janus' arm was raised. Copper eyes widened and she screamed but it was too slow. It was too late.

A shot exploded and shook Copper. Tears welled up in her eyes before her brain could process what had happened. Janus holstered the gun and glared at Conrad with utter contempt, "Filthy traitor."

She moved like a puppet and fire exploded from Jolie's mouth, evaporating the Pokémon's tears and blasting Janus and Rose.

Conrad fell into Bruce's arms and Copper's whole being shuddered with despair. Blood was seeping from Conrad's chest and dyed the feathers red. His beak moved like an un-oiled gate, creaking a weak message that Copper couldn't understand.

"C-c-conrad! I-I'm s-so sorry!" she sobbed. They words were far too small for how she felt, "A-aft-after all... h-how I-I treated..." she wrapped her arms around Conrad and cried loudly, her Pokémon stopping all Zephyrs from interfering.

Conrad shuddered in pain and Lore walked over. She rested her head protective next to Conrad's, it was as close to a hug as she could manage, and she used sweet scent. Conrad breathed deeply and closed his eyes serenely. He exhaled and stopped moving.

Copper stammered, "C-conrad!" emotion exploded through her voice and her sorrow couldn't even be helped by the sweet scent. He'd stopped bleeding but the blood still stained his plumage.

Everyone should have fallen silent in respect and bereavement but the battle still raged. Copper couldn't believe it. It wasn't real. It couldn't be real.

Lore walked to behind Copper and Copper hugged Lore tightly. She wanted this all to be a nightmare that she could just wake up from but the pain in her face and the ache in her heart served as unwelcome reminders.

Lore was crying heavily and Bruce's eyes were closed in forlorn respect. Copper looked around at where she was and then to Conrad. He looked like he was sleeping but Copper felt the lack of life.

He needed a funeral but Copper remembered that they were in the midst of a battle and they couldn't fly out of the way.

She tried wiping away the tears but a fresh wave came as the memories came to the front of her mind. She'd stolen him and regarded him a Zephyr tool since then but he'd saved her. He flew to Cianwood to warn her and had fought when she'd been too weak to.

He'd been used by Janus and Rose but had fought for his freedom, just like her...

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><p><strong>R.I.P. Conrad the Noctowl<strong>

**TT_TT Good-bye Conrad, you may not have realised it but Copper _will_ miss you beyond belief!**

**I know that Copper stole him and treated him badly for the entire journey until now but when you saved her life she finally realised how similar they truly were.**

**That's the battle of Mahogany part 1 and next time we'll be focusing on Steel. I hope I managed to get his redemption and Copper's reaction right.**

**Arceus her parents are bastards! but now she can let that baggage go :**

**'**_"Don't worry about me Steel. I'm not them. I'd fight them personally myself if I had to prove that to you."_**'**

**Hope you enjoyed (?) this chapter and please review to tell me your opinions and how I could improve.**


	20. Chapter 19

Steel managed to shake off the Pokémon but now his leg was bleeding where it'd bitten him. Ferro spun his tail around, hoping to catch the raticate but it was small and quick enough to dodge the massive rock tail.

Steel leaned against Ferro and looked around, looking for the raticate's trainer. He rested his weight on one leg and let the other one go limp. Ferro roared and was looking at someone in the crowd. Steel followed his line of sight and met eyes with a familiar looking Zephyr, he wore the blue jacket but he'd pinned a yellow diamond shaped badge onto it. His stance had a certain arrogance about it and he was shootingeyes daggers at Steel.

Steel's eyes widened in recognition and he indicated him for Ferro, "Rock throw!" Ferro whipped his tail around and threw rocks in that direction but a nearby pidgeot used air slash and destroyed the boulder.

"Twister!" the Zephyr ordered and the pidgeot blew all the stealth rocks away. Steel darted to behind Ferro whose rock body wouldn't be cut up by the flying shards but when he breathed the air in his eyes watered like he'd inhaled fire.

"R-rock throw!" Steel ordered hoarsely but the pidgeot dodged again.

"I will _not_ let beat me this time Steel!" he yelled as he walked closer and that when the recognition kicked in.

"Blair!" Steel exclaimed but then he narrowed his eyes with threat, "I beat you last time and I'll do it again!"

Blair ran a nonchalant hand through his extravagant blonde curls but his eyes were full of his true feelings, utter rage, and "I was going easy on an arrogant little boy in Goldenrod." Blair clenched his fists, "But now I know who you really are! And I'm going all out on the league's pawn!" His raticate bound forward and bared its fangs dangerously.

"Bind!" Steel called and Ferro's tail suddenly appeared in Raticate's path. It cried out as it collided with rock and then as it was trapped in Ferro's hold. Blair was about to order an attack from his pidgeot but Steel held out a hand as he recalled his Pokémon with the other. "One on one Blair! Last one standing decides the loser's fate."

Blair gritted his teeth but hid it behind a cocky smile, "Full teams this time. Let's see how you've improved!" he looked to his raticate, "Super fang!"

The raticate's teeth glowed gold and enlarged under the glow and it brought it down on Ferro. It barely damaged the rocks and Ferro tightened the bind.

"Rock throw!" Steel called and Ferro swung the rest of his snake-like body to indicate the rock's path. A massive boulder flew at Raticate and hit it on the head. It was only by some sort of miracle that Raticate didn't faint there and then.

"Swords dance!" Blair ordered and the raticate looked more like he was flailing, rather than dancing but it seemed to work because when it next used super fang it actually got Ferro to let go. But Ferro was quicker to recover since Raticate was so close to fainting and quickly attacked the raticate with a tackle. Raticate was sent flying and when it hit the ground it fainted.

Blair returned his Pokémon and growled, "You're lucky I started with my new raticate."

"New?"

"You shattered his teeth!" Blair shouted and Steel grimaced at the memory. Blair threw out his next Pokémon and his furret chattered its teeth menacingly. "Use hyper voice!"

Furret screamed and while Ferro was fine, Steel had to dig in his heels to avoid being knocked off his feet while he pressed his hands against his ears.

"Slam!" Blair called but Furret jumped over Ferro who'd been bracing and instead headed for Steel. Steel dived out the way just in time for it to miss and for Ferro to catch up when he realised that his Pokémon were only obstacles to Blair, obstacles that block his way to Steel.

Steel knew that Ferro had no chance of catching such a small Pokémon so instead of bind he ordered tackle. Ferro threw himself at Furret and the ground underneath the area of collision crumbled. Furret didn't manage to escape but he held on.

"Rock throw!" he ordered but Blair's crafty smile had returned.

"Sucker punch!" Furret had already hit Ferro before he'd worked out where it'd gone. Ferro fell backwards and Steel had to sprint to avoid being crushed but he beamed when Ferro got back up.

"You can do it!" Steel called encouragingly, "Use tackle!" Ferro briefly nodded and lunged at Furret again who was caught under the sheer bulk of an onix.

Blair's eye twitched as Ferro revealed an unconscious Furret lying in the crater. He exhaled a swear as Ferro glowed. Ferro actually didn't seem to change that much, he grew slightly, his jaw became more square, spikes sprouted from several of the boulders and his tail became sharper but when the glow broke it revealed shiny, tough metal in place of the rock. Blair loudly repeated his swear and he looked livid as he called out his next Pokémon.

Steel was shocked at how unimpressive it was though after Furret he should have stopped being surprised. It was small and lavender with a cute, simple face.

"Transform!" Blair commanded and for a second Steel thought it was evolving. The Pokémon began to change its shape but not with a glow. Its body grew and contorted until Steel was looking at yet another Steelix. Blair had levelled the playing field in the only way he knew how, unfairly. _His_ steelix wasn't tired from battling two others.

"Rock throw!" he ordered and a boulder was thrown at Ferro who took it well but Steel began seeing that he was exhausted.

"Tackle!" Steel yelled but Ferro did something different. It looked like he was doing a forward flip but it turned into a roll and spun incredibly quickly towards Blair's ditto.

Gyro ball hit the fake steelix low and swept it off the ground but then it returned with a rock throw faster than any regular steelix.

Steel cried out but couldn't do anything as Ferro fell to the ground. The shockwave shook Steel and Blair sneered as he returned Ferro to his pokéball.

Steel knew that Blair's Pokémon was a steel ground type so he racked his mind for advantages among his Pokémon.

"Go Charlie!" he called and the happy miltank appeared. She beamed but Steel had to awkwardly point to the huge Pokémon facing it.

"Rollout!" Charlie contorted itself into a ball and began rolling at high speed towards the fake steelix. She collided into the steelix and kept rolling around the battlefield, swerving to avoid the rocks and hitting the metal snake with increasing power.

"Rock throw!" Blair ordered but every time the steelix reared, preparing to throw a boulder at Steel, Charlie would attack and throw off his balance. Blair gritted his teeth and resolved to actually focus on the miltank instead of the boy.

"Rock throw on the miltank! Don't stop until you've hit it!" Blair ordered and his Pokémon tried over and over to hit Charlie. Dents appeared in the ground and one lucky rock hit the ground near Charlie, she dodged it quickly but the resulting tremors knocked off her balance.

She uncurled and slowed down enough for one of the rocks to catch her. She was shot across and hit the ground hard.

"Now use bind!" Blair yelled but Charlie was still recovering from the fall as the metal snake advanced.

"Heal bell!" Steel called and Charlie radiated soothing green light. She became less stiff but the metal snake Pokémon had already reached her by then. The tail curled around Charlie and she cried out in pain as it began to crush her.

"Charlie!" Steel exclaimed but Blair's ditto wasn't going to let up, "Defence curl!" Charlie nodded weakly and curled into a ball, allowing Steelix to have a tighter grip on her but her hide toughened.

"Keep it going!" Blair growled to his ditto and Steelix coiled, breaking through Charlie's defence as she was overwhelmed by the power until it was too much and she fainted.

"Stop!" Steel shouted, "Stop!" but Blair found no reason to desist. "Go Brooke!" he called and Brooke appeared before the steelix. She gazed wide-eyed at the Pokémon that was eight times his size and much fiercer but she steeled her nerves and clenched her fists.

"Use water gun!" he called and Brooke shot the still relatively slow steelix with a water blast but Steel cringed at how little it did but Blair saw that there was something else to fight and ordered Ditto to let Charlie go. She fell to the ground and Steel returned her to his pokéball before Blair could do anymore damage.

"Tackle!" Blair called. Steel and Brooke ran while Brooke tried to blast it away with water gun. The steelix fell to the ground and the shockwave blew Steel and Brooke off their feet. Steel cried out as he landed on his injured arm but he didn't have time as the massive steelix began throwing another boulder at them. Brooke managed to redirect it so it landed next to them and not _on_ them but they weren't getting anything done at this rate.

"Get in close and use bite! Don't let it get on top of you!" Steel called and Brooke dashed away. She leapt onto Steelix's back and began biting at it. But Steelix writhed to try and throw her off while continuing to throw rocks at Steel who was getting increasingly exhausted.

The ground under Steel's feet disappeared as he unwittingly fell into one of the craters. Steelix was about to attack but then jolted. Brooke had just bitten it again but this time a ring of ice was left around the bite. Steel winced and clutched his bitten leg, "Keep using ice fang!" he called and Brooke nodded. Brooke had shocked Steelix enough to give Steel time to stumble out of the crater but the moment he got out he faced a massive Pokémon charging at him.

Brooke leapt off Steelix and held out its hands, bracing for impact. Steel cried out but Brooke was unmoving and determined. Blair scoffed at the impossibility of Brooke's actions and thought the battle would be quickly over but when they collided Brooke actually held on. She was being pushed back at a constant rate but she kept trying to push Steelix away but Brooke was still considerably smaller, as she was.

Brooke's face was screwed up in concentration but she began to shine and grow. The spikes on her back grew in size and number while her jaw became squarer and larger. She became bulkier and stronger and when the glow dissipated it showed a _much_ stronger Pokémon. Brooke and the fake steelix were now met for strength since the steelix was a fake.

"Use water gun!" he called and the steelix's eyes widened in shock just before it was blown backwards. Steelix fell to the ground and Brooke ran at the metal snake on Steel's orders.

"Use rock throw!"Blair ordered but when Steelix tried, nothing happened. Blair looked wide eyed as the feraligatr pounced and bared its massive jaws.

"Ice fang!" Steel yelled and with a final crunch the steelix fainted. It shrunk back into a ditto and Blair returned it angrily. He chucked his ambipom's pokéball into the air and the battle raged on.

They both had three Pokémon left and, to Blair's horror, were equally matched. He was shocked to find that his 'all out' was becoming not enough. The boy's insufferable feraligatr managed to knock out his ambipom, after taking a few hits itself but it was a loss nonetheless.

Steel quickly sent out Lancer before Blair could get another shot at him and was about to call out an attack but then he heard a small explosion. Steel whipped his head around to the source of the sound despite Blair shouting insults.

"Lancer, keep him out of this!" Steel commanded. Lancer nodded and shot spikes at Blair. Blair raised his arms to protect himself but saw that the spikes hit an invisible shield, spiralling around him and trapping him like poison barbed wire.

"Come back you coward!" Blair bellowed but another round of twineedles shot into the ground and blasted him off his feet. Blair crashed onto the earth and he blacked out.

Steel started running towards Copper and Lancer caught up, lifting Steel above the battle. They flew to another clearing that was ringed with fire. He saw Jolie burning several Zephyrs and furrowed his eyebrows. Copper's other Pokémon were fighting back Zephyrs except for Bruce but he couldn't see Conrad. There was a large green Pokémon next to Copper that Steel didn't recognise but he guessed it was Lore because of the familiar colour and shape.

He landed next to Copper and was immediately thrown by the despair in the air. Copper's hair had fallen over her face to hide her emotions but she was shivering and her breathing was ragged. Lore had noticed him but her eyes were forlorn and she didn't react. Steel had landed behind her and saw Bruce. Then he noticed what he was holding. Steel's eyes widened and he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She reacted explosively, screaming and kicking back.

"Copper! Copper, it's just me!" he protested. She looked at him and he was shocked by the tears running down her face. Her eyes were staring at him but unfocused and unseeing and they began clouding with rage.

"What happened?" he asked, his eyes kept glancing to Conrad who Bruce had placed on the ground so he could join the fight.

"Where are they!?" Copper demanded, sounding furious but her voice cracked at the end and Steel's heart melted.

"What happened?" he repeated calmly but sorrow was creeping into his voice too.

Copper's voice was so full of emotion yet so emotionless at the same time, "They took Conrad's life." Steel had already guessed this but hearing Copper say it gave it so much more weight. There had only been one person in his life, his father, so he felt so hopeless that he couldn't comfort Copper because he had no way of understanding how she felt.

"We can't save him now." Steel said, "But we can save others."

Copper looked up at him and breathed deeply. She looked miserable but she held herself with purpose instead of wishing she wasn't there. "What Pokémon do you have left?"

"Lancer and Antheia, I met Blair."

"What!? Where's he now?"

"Unconscious. We've taken out the generals so now it's time to scatter the army."

Copper turned to her battling Pokémon, "Blast them back! Don't let them regroup until they're retreating!" she commanded. Steel threw out Antheia and repeated the instruction.

Their Pokémon simultaneously erupted with power and the sudden outburst blew several lots of Zephyrs away. Steel entrusted Antheia to Copper and leapt onto Lancer's back to scatter the army from above.

Ice encrusted the battlefield from the Mahogany Pokémon and frozen birds were everywhere but the sheer number of Zephyrs was what kept the battle raging.

He unleashed twineedles onto the ground near the army and they jumped back in shock but it wasn't everybody. They were using the guns to chip away at the weakening wall and despite Steel's efforts and the projectiles raining down they were being successful. Cracks webbed the wall the stone had disappeared in many places, leaving only ice.

Lancer tried to target the shooters but many blows break stone. Ice shattered and a triumphant cry came out from the Zephyr side. From such a height he could see the Mahogany side too and he saw Gerardo and the Pokémon firing ice at the soldiers.

"Get down there!" Steel cried to Lancer and they dived down to help the people there.

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><p><strong>Happy new year! Blwyddyn newydd dda! Now time for the awkward period where everyone's writing <strong>**2014 2015 :D**

**The next chapter will be the finale of the Mahogany battle and then it's the ice path and Blackthorn City.**

**I just want to take a moment to say thank you to all the great people who read and support this fic and I also want to point out that I'm British so I spell some thing differently :P**

**Hope you enjoyed and please review to tell me how to improve :D**


	21. Chapter 20

Lancer shot down the birds that tried getting into Mahogany but even after such a long battle Steel was amazed by the sheer number Zephyrs and Pokémon though in retrospect the Zephyr movement _had_ been growing for thirteen years.

Gerardo was doing well to halt the movement of the Zephyrs through the wall with the others but there was little they could do since the wall was now broken. They ran into the town and the defence team backed off, quickly running to protect anything important by covering it in thick layers of ice.

"Toxic spikes!" Steel called and the poison sphere of barbed wire appeared around a bunch of the invading Zephyrs. "Use twineedle!" Lancer kept aiming at the ground to knock some of them back but throughout the battle he couldn't help admiring the Mahogany people.

Someone's jynx was holding them back using its psychic attacks while hoards of swinub blew them back with icy winds and powered snow. It was like the Zephyrs were under a powerful and very cold hose. Birds that stopped flying to blow away the attacks quickly fell backwards and the other people of Mahogany were taking care of the Zephyrs that had run behind the lines of Pokémon.

Lancer kept tackling Zephyrs using pursuit then darting back into the sky out of reach. The Zephyrs were now realising how much trouble they were actually in. They had the numbers advantage but that was it and with so many Zephyrs being frozen or knocked out it was only a matter of time before the battle became even.

There were two main groups in their army now, the ones that were being blasted back at the wall and those who were being blasted back by Copper and some others. The Zephyrs soon realised how futile their attempts were and shouts echoed across the battlefield. The Mahogany people, Copper and Steel did not stop their attacks until the Zephyrs were retreating, their metaphorical tails between their legs.

Most of them retreated into the forest or back into Ecruteak City but there were several people and Pokémon trapped in walls of ice. The offensive team and Copper ran back to Mahogany and the crowds cheered on arrival.

People started to break the ice on the buildings and they asked Steel to help on the bunker house. He and Lancer were chipping away at the ice, pausing every so often to warm up, but once the door was freed and the people inside were outside Steel began looking around for Copper in the crowd and eventually found her talking to Gerardo with Bruce holding Conrad's body.

"There are usually two options, burial or cremation. Burials are traditionally for humans while cremation is usually for Pokémon." he was explaining while Copper listened with tears in her eyes. Gerardo noticed and patted her shoulder supportively, "Don't be sad he's gone, be happy he happened."Copper wiped away her tears and tried smiling weakly. Gerardo was looking at her with a confused smile, "I can't believe you're the child of the two biggest bastards I've ever seen. No offense." he added quickly.

"No offence taken. They're no parents to me."

"It's pretty impressive for such a young person to defeat two Zephyr generals. I hope you get to Blackthorn safely."

Copper had lied about wanting to find her friend who'd gone to Blackthorn but she still felt Gerardo's sincerity, "You did pretty well yourself. Have they attacked before?"

Gerardo nodded, "Many times, but their attacks never broke the wall before. In the war, Mahogany was a part of the defensive team in the plateau so I didn't see a lot of battle."

Copper perked up with interest, "What happened at the plateau?" she asked casually.

Gerardo looked like he was tearing up himself, "It was destroyed. Many people were killed."

"Destroyed!?"

"Obliterated. We survived by running into the victory road caves but our leader was in a wheelchair. He died before we could do anything." There was a forlorn silence and Gerardo looked to Bruce, "Let's go to the Lake of Rage."

Copper, Gerardo and Bruce were walking up to the north of town when Steel caught them, "Copper! Glad you're okay."

"Okay's probably not the right word."

Steel nodded sadly, "Sorry..." he mumbled. They walked to the Lake of Rage in silence with Gerardo at the head.

There was a profound quiet. There were no words and the only sound was the gentle breeze. Gerardo told Bruce to rest Conrad's body down on the shore and he took out an orange Pokémon. It was cute and dog-like with long ears, large dark eyes, a bushy yellow tail and fur around the neck and on top of the head

Gerardo turned to Copper and Steel, "Do you want to say a few words."

Copper nodded and opened her mouth but no words came out, her heart in her throat. She tried again, "Conrad. I'm sorrier about you than I've ever been about you. You were just something I stole and I hated you for something Janus and Rose made you become." The tears had come back in thick streams down her cheeks, "But when you saved my life from Falkner I started to understand what you were trying to tell me. You were telling me that you didn't approve either and that you wanted to fight. Even though we never had time to become friends, if I could change one thing, it would be that."

Steel was crying too. He barely knew Conrad but he just heard incredible regret in Copper's voice. Gerardo was looking sombre for the funeral but he was looking interestedly at Copper but he didn't say anything about it when he spoke.

"You should probably look away for this." Copper and Steel nodded before turning away, "Flareon, use incinerate."

Copper and Steel had turned away but felt a great burst of heat and turned around in time to see Flareon blow away ashes.

The ashes flew and dissipated into the wind. Copper wiped away her tears and they watched the grey sky. Gerardo waited respectfully but when they turned around to go he asked Copper to go on while he talked to Steel. She was unsure but after all Gerardo had done she trusted him enough to talk to Steel.

"I'll be fine but since we should leave as soon as possible can you heal my Pokémon while you're down there?"

Copper nodded and Steel passed his pokéballs to her. He watched her go and then Gerardo started talking to him very seriously, "I want to give you the benefit of the doubt because of what you did against the Zephyrs but _what_ in Johto did she mean about 'saving her life from Falkner'!?"

Steel's eyes widened as his brain fired up, debating the consequences of lying, "Um...uh..."

"What did she mean?" he pressed.

"We went to Olivine and he attacked us."

"O-Olivine? What were you doing in Olivine? She said you two were going to Blackthorn!"

Steel's mind raced. He hadn't been with Copper all the time. What if his story didn't match up with hers!? "We got sidetracked and he attacked us."

"Why would _Falkner_ attack _you_?" his voice was suspicious but Steel thought that he'd probably be in Gerardo's situation.

"Please don't tell anyone else."

Gerardo's eyes narrowed but his eyes became less steely. It was in his best interests to hear Steel out and though the boy was acting suspicious he couldn't believe he was a Zephyr after how he'd fought. Gerardo nodded and Steel sighed.

"Copper and I were in Cherrygrove where we met Morty and he asked us to rescue Professor Elm in New Bark Town. That got Falkner on our tail and he caught up to us in Olivine."

"Falkner's following you and you came _here_!?"

Steel's eyes widened and he held his hands up in protest, "He's not following us now! He thinks we're dead!"

Gerardo sighed sadly, "I want to believe you. You helped us and warned us, but after how much you've lied I'm not sure I can trust you."

"I guess it doesn't matter now." Steel admitted, "We'll be out of your hair before you can say 'jynx'."

"Before that I want to ask something of you. Take care of your friend Copper. After a death, the most important thing is to be near friends and family and with _her_ family..." he turned his flareon to its pokéball.

Steel nodded before turning south to Mahogany Town where Copper was waiting for him. She was chewing on something she said was a rage candy bar. The Pokémon Centre nurse (a friendly woman named Diana) gave them some more healing items and thanked them.

"Not that we would have needed it!" she chuckled cockily. Steel choked on the tough bar but tried to smile gratefully.

Copper searched through the items in her bag and pulled out a Zephyr uniform. Diana gasped but Copper scowled with unbelievable fury. She threw it down to the ground and threw out Jolie.

"Burn it!" she growled and fire span out of Jolie's mouth, enveloping the blue uniform and turning it to ash.

Diana was staring at the burning cloth long after Copper had looked away. "So you have a vulpix?" she asked, anxious to change the subject. Jolie barked angrily at the uniform before grinning smugly at the nurse.

Diana's smile was one sided, "Do you want to become more powerful?" Jolie nodded enthusiastically and Diana reached into her pocket. She chucked something to Copper and revealed a glowing red stone. It radiated warmth and Copper turned to face Diana again.

"Why does a town focused around ice types keep fire stones around?"

"When it's cold outside all you want is a nice fire." she said simply, "And since you'll be going through the ice path you'll need some flames to light the way."

Copper unconsciously shivered, "What types of Pokémon are there?"

"You gotta be careful out there. The delibird will want to help you but sometimes their 'presents' explode. The jynx and swinub will freeze you and you better keep your hands on your belongings around the sneasel."

"S-sneasel?"

"Yeah, they like to use thief on the people who try to get to Blackthorn. Don't know what a Pokémon'll do with money but they can do whatever they want."

Steel waved good-bye and indicated for Copper to come with him out of the city but she seemed reluctant.

"Don't you want to come? Blackthorn's only a short while away."

Copper gulped and nodded but moved with robotic movements, "Thank you."

Diana smiled, "Good luck, you'll need it." Copper didn't stop to ask what she meant but she waved good-bye and caught up to Steel.

Once they were out of earshot Steel started talking, "We better be careful. If a sneasel steals our badges we might not get to the Indigo City." At the word 'sneasel' she shivered, "What's the matter?" he asked.

"Just...I don't like dark types." Steel was curious but didn't want to pry after all she'd been through today.

Steel smiled, "Don't worry. I'll keep the dark types away." They walked through route 44 in silence for a moment. "Do you want to use the fire stone?"

Copper thought for a moment, "Only if Jolie agrees but I think she will." she smiled mischievously and swayed craftily before knocking into Steel. He fell into the mud and she grinned. "1-nil me!"

"What!?" he looked dumbfounded in the mud, "I didn't know we were even playing!" he grinned and ran at Copper who stepped out of the way.

"You can't do it _now_! I'm on my guard."

Steel grumbled but smiled nonetheless. Copper stopped walking and took out Jolie. She dug the fire stone out her bag and Jolie yipped happily.

"Are you sure you want this?" Copper asked and Jolie barked. Copper smiled and held out the stone. Jolie walked closer and raised her crimson paw towards it. The moment contact was made both the stone and Jolie began to glow.

She grew and became more slender. The fur atop her head became longer and straighter while she grew more tails. The glow shattered and Jolie roared as a cream elegant nine-tails.

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><p><strong>Wooo! 20th (21st) chaper! Thank you all for following!<strong>

**Next chapter : The ice path! Hopefully it won't be as frustrating and annoying as the _actual_ ice path.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please tell me how to improve via reviewing! :D**


	22. Chapter 21

Steel suddenly remembered something that Gerardo had said. Copper was walking alongside Jolie and petting her head every so often, a proud smile plastered on her face. Steel didn't want to possibly disrupt their happiness but they'd just reached a hurdle.

"Um...Copper? Can you give me back my Pokémon?" he asked sheepishly and Copper's mouth fell open in a shocked 'o'.

"Oh, sorry!" She reached into her jean pocket and took out all five of Steel's pokéballs. Steel grabbed them and tucked them inside his jacket.

Steel nodded, "Good. Now we can get this massive boulder out of the way."

Copper, who'd been looking at and petting Jolie the entire time, looked up at a massive boulder in front of the cave entrance. "Put on your mask, boulders are usually in cave doors for a reason."

Steel nodded and pulled his neckerchief over his face and pulled down his goggles. He threw out Ferro and Copper yelped.

"Oh yeah, you didn't see..." Steel gestured to Ferro, "Presenting...Ferro the steelix!" Ferro roared and grinned. Steel glanced back to Copper and Jolie, "You better return Jolie if there's fog in there." Copper nodded and Jolie disappeared in a red flash into her pokéball. "Okay Ferro, push that boulder out of the way!"

Ferro raised its massive metal tail and whipped it round to smash the boulder out of the way but nothing came out of the cave except a freezing breeze. Steel peered into the dark cave but saw nothing except ice. He looked back and shrugged to Copper. Copper threw out Bruce and Jolie while Steel recalled Ferro, instead calling out Brooke.

They entered the darkness together. Jolie had set fire to a nearby branch to light the way and Steel kept absently swaying too close to the warmth and nearly setting _himself_ on fire. Steel tried to warm up his hands but he kept pulling them out of his pockets in shock when the clouds of white breath appeared in front of him, fooling him into thinking its fog.

Pokémon hadn't attacked them yet and Copper was getting suspicious, like the calm before the storm, and though she was readying herself she was getting quite jumpy at the prospect of sneasel, or Arceus forbid, weaville stalking their movements. The make-shift torch lit the way but cast heavy and dark shadows across the frozen cave walls. Anything could be hiding there.

They were walking through a corridor-esque stretch when Steel spotted something on the floor. It was a pink cardboard box with a pretty yellow ribbon on it and Steel reached down and held the torch then reached out to touch it.

"Stop!" Copper hissed and Steel froze in place, "Don't you remember what Diana said about the delibird's presents?"

Steel nodded and straightened up, looking around for any delibird despite not knowing what they looked like. Something behind them cawed, its cry echoing across the stone walls, and Brooke wheeled around.

"Water gun!" Steel called but all that was left was a doused patch of wall which quickly turned to ice in the frigid air.

"Watch out!" Copper called and Steel looked around to see the present explode. He raised him arms to protect himself but when it exploded Steel was showered in green light that was not unlike heal bell. He felt his leg straighten up and he looked down, surprised to see dried blood on his trousers. He remembered how Blair's raticate had bitten him but with all that had happened afterwards he'd just ignored it.

He heard footsteps and Brooke looked ready to attack again but they saw a funny looking Pokémon waddle up to where the present was. It was a red flightless bird with white feathers forming a type of mask. It kicked the air where the present used to be angrily while Copper and Steel watched it with confused faces.

It turned to them and raised its arm-like-wings as if it was about to attack and Steel reacted. He ordered Brooke to water gun it and sent it sprawling across the icy stone. He hadn't realised until then how jumpy he was until the spray of water put out the torch.

"Steel!" Copper cried exasperatedly as they were suddenly engulfed by darkness. Jolie spat flames into the air and then aimed for the torch in Steel's hand. Copper smiled at Jolie then she approached the Pokémon cautiously when something leapt onto Steel. She yelled for Bruce and he carefully knocked the Pokémon off without hitting Steel. Steel's hands went immediately to her jacket and yelled, "It stole my badge!"

'It' was short, bipedal and mischievous looking. Its fur was dark turquoise and its claws were white. One of its ears resembled a large feather to match the three acting as its tail. Copper screamed at the sight of it and sent out Jolie and Bruce without mercy.

They had to chase the sneasel down the cave but it knew its territory well and while it was leaping from wall to wall, taunting the trainers and sending ice shards their way, Copper and Steel could barely stay upright on the slippery surfaces.

Fire blasted the walls and Bruce sprung into combat but the sneasel was more agile than both of them because of its small size. Bruce tried to intercept its jump across the walls but the sneasel landed on his head before blasting Bruce to the floor with another ice attack.

"Bruce!" Copper cried, running to Bruce's aid but he'd already got up, fire was in his eyes. He sprinted and chucked rocks which did little but dent the walls of stone. The group had reached a corner and it leapt into the air, above Bruce's head and Jolie's fire spin, but looked with its wide red eyes at the funnel of water coming its way.

It hit the wall and knocked the breath out of its lungs. It watched helplessly as the remaining water solidified and trapped it in a wall of ice, pinned against the stone. Steel walked over to it and tried to wrench the badge out of its claws. With one hand he pocketed the fog badge and glanced to Copper who was breathing very heavily but smiling weakly at her Pokémon while Sneasel looked annoyed at the fainted delibird's direction.

"It was probably a trap. Maybe that's why the boulder was in front of the entrance." Steel deduced and Copper nodded.

Steel looked her in the eyes. "Wow...you must really hate dark types." he was going to say 'fear' but decided against it. She may be rattled but she could still beat him up.

The fear in her eyes was slowly turning into hate, "Janus had a honchkrow, need I say more?" she didn't wait for him to reply, he didn't need to. Enough had been said.

They came across a field of ice as they continued through the ice path. Steel uncertainly placed a foot on the ice but immediately retracted it, hating the feeling of falling he got from it, but Copper boldly stepped onto the field. At first she was wobbly but was determined as ever to make Steel feel silly by sliding confidently.

Bruce leapt across the plain by jumping from rock to rock while Jolie dug her claws into the ice. Brooke watched Steel stand unsurely on the edge and grinned just before shoving Steel onto the ice.

After slipping and sliding for a few seconds he fell down, still clutching the torch, and was subjected to Copper's laughter but he didn't tell her to stop. He thought that she needed some laughter in her life, whether it was aimed at him or not.

He had his hands in his pockets and Brooke was skating around with Copper and Jolie, looking for somewhere to go. They glanced around and Bruce leapt to the unfrozen ground. He indicated for Steel to follow him but Steel hesitated, not wanting to get up just to fall over again so in the end he decided to just slide over while sitting down in an undignified fashion that caused another round of laughter from the girls.

"Come on Copper!" he called once he stood up on solid ground. Copper rolled her eyes but skated with the Pokémon over to Steel and Bruce.

They walked over a small bit of raised rock until they came across a ladder that went down, further into the cave. Steel spotted a small window of light through the darkness.

He pointed to it, "That's probably the way to Blackthorn."

Copper squinted at it, "Yeah but there's a massive ledge in the way. Bruce could probably scale it but we have no chance of getting up there."

Steel nodded and sighed, "So the ladder's the only way to go." He cast the torch's light over the ladder.

"Hmmm...We don't know what's down there, but it _is _the only way I can see."

Steel hefted the torch, "I'll go first and check for danger."

Copper pursed her lips, "I'd like to trust you Steel but with one leg bitten, one arm burned and your other holding a torch I'm not confident in your ladder climbing abilities."

Steel huffed and Jolie walked up to the edge. Steel threw out Lancer who shivered in the sudden cold.

"Sorry, but can you quickly fly Jolie down there?"

Lancer's nodded robotically, his movements constantly interrupted by shivers, Jolie sprung onto his back and they flew into the black.

Copper and Steel waited a short moment until they saw Jolie's flames light up the cave below. Steel waved the torch about until the fire died out and they began descending.

Copper clambered down with no problems but since Copper mentioned the list of Steel's injuries they began hurting again. Maybe it was just in his mind but thinking that didn't make the pain go away.

He jumped off the ladder and his feet clapped loudly on the stone. The sound echoes around the cavern and Steel held the branch up to the fire so Jolie could stop the constant stream. She gasped and breathed heavily, out of breath from using fire spin for so long.

Steel recalled Lancer and the hairs on his neck stood up in anticipation. He wheeled around and a hoard of zubat exploded out from the shadows.

Steel screamed and Copper turned around. "Quick! Rock tomb and fire spin!"

The zubat flew right into the wall of moves which were soon joined by Brooke's water gun but there were still a lot of them darting at Copper and Steel. They flailed wildly, trying to bat away the bats, until enough Pokémon had fainted to run away from the cloud.

"Rage!" Steel yelled above the screeching and Brooke started punching the low-level zubats out of the air. Copper unshouldered her bags and swung it wildly at the Pokémon. Steel nodded and followed her example until all the Pokémon were on the floor or flying away but Copper's last swing accidently hit him in the stomach. He winced but chuckled.

Jolie exhaled finitely and they were soon consumed by the dark once more. Copper huffed, "What's the point of even _having_ the torch?" Jolie barked in consent, annoyed at having to waste her breath on pitiful creatures without night eyes. Copper frowned apologetically, "I know." There was the sound of someone of someone scrambling around on the ice.

"Found it!" Steel called and a small flame appeared in Jolie's open mouth. "No!" he cried just before a plume of fire shot at his face in a bright twister.

He screamed prematurely but though the branch in his hand was lit he was only covered in soot. Jolie's cream face was somewhat twisted, despite being beautiful, and her smile was emphasised by the shadows.

"Ha, ha, ha." he said without humour and he brushed off some of the soot but only succeeded in creating hand shape patterns across his jacket and face. He got up and stumbled back onto the stone, "But seriously how am I not on fire right now?"

Copper brushed some of the soot of Steel's face, "Pokémon attacks can't be lethal unless the Pokémon wants it to be."

Steel eyed Jolie suspiciously but felt some relief that Jolie didn't _hate_ him. Steel raised the torch around the cavern, shining its light into the shadows and trying to find an exit.

"There's another ladder over there." Copper pointed and Steel glanced apprehensively at the ice. She nudged his arm and grinned, "I'll help you across."

She stepped onto the ice and Steel followed her lead but leaning on her shoulder for balance. The skidded over to the other ladder but when Steel grabbed a rung he felt aged wood underneath his fingers. He applied more pressure to the rung and saw that it bended.

"I'm not sure this is safe."

Copper furrowed her eyebrows and walked around the ladder, analysing it from all sides. Her hand automatically moved to her belt but stopped. Remembering the pokéball she was looking for wasn't there. She returned Jolie and Bruce before they could do anything and turned to Steel, her expression was scarily emotionless but her body language was warning Steel not to mention anything.

"You'll have to ask Lancer to take us up there."

Steel nodded and threw out his beedrill shortly before recalling Brooke. Lancer was chattering and it showed by his irregular buzzing and flight but he straightened up, understanding he was needed. Steel leapt onto his back while Lancer picked Copper up. They shot upwards and Steel almost hissed at the sudden light. The wall had blocked out most of the light, only making it seem like a small window but he was suddenly bombarded by the sun.

Lancer's red eyes widened and he shot out of the cave, desperate for warmth, before Steel could ask him to put them down. Steel ducked his head and put his arms protectively around them, not wanting a head injury to add to the mix. He barely missed the edge of the door but smiled at the sudden flash of warmth. Lancer dropped off Copper but Steel didn't feel confident jumping off a speeding Pokémon.

"Lancer!" he shouted and Lancer finally stopped. Steel hopped to the ground and sighed with relief. "Thank goodness we're outta there." Copper, who was a couple of metres back, nodded. She glanced to Morty's pokégear and checked the map.

"We're in Blackthorn alright." she confirmed and they looked around. Large cliffs surrounded them and there were only two ways to go. Back to the ice path or forward. Copper and Steel crept forwards, not sure who they'd find at the end but preparing in case they weren't friendly.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry this took so long. I was really busy lately. :(<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter and please review to tell me how to improve. :D**


	23. Chapter 22

The large cliffs of Blackthorn created an uneasy corridor, directing Steel and Copper's path and after all they'd seen they couldn't think that someone wasn't waiting to spring a trap on them. Steel pulled down his goggles and neckerchief to see more clearly but didn't see anything suspicious yet. They didn't want to risk the sound of an opening pokéball so the two were relying on Lancer to attack whoever was there. And they weren't disappointed. The moment their heads popped around the corner something bright and hot shot past them.

Their heads whipped around to see what it was but all they saw was fire as they were thrown back by an explosion. Mercifully neither of them hit their heads on the dirt path but Steel had automatically used his arms to block his fall and he screamed in pain as he drew back his burnt arm.

Copper stiffly looked around and yelled for Lancer, "Pin missile!" Lancer darted forwards and shot a string of projectiles blindly in the direction she'd pointed at, having not spotted the assailant yet. He hoped that that had distracted the attacker and flew to Steel.

Steel was cradling his bandaged arm he was glancing around, as alert and determined as ever. There was a small snake-like blue Pokémon with white fins on either side of its head and a white belly. It looked rather cute but at that point all Steel saw it as was a threat.

It was panted and stayed still like it couldn't move so didn't do anything while the pin missiles attacked it. It was blown off the ground and Lancer was about to move in for another attack but someone was yelling.

"Arceus! What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

Steel was about to reply but someone beat him to the chase, "_I_ was taking down these two thieves." Replied a masculine voice and Steel noticed someone moving out from behind a house. Steel would have guessed him to be in his late twenties, his hair was red, spiky and side swept across his face.

"Bernard!" Mike cried exasperatedly but then his eyes focused on one of the 'thieves'. He was a teenage boy on the floor and covered in soot but he looked like even breathing pained. One of the legs on his torn jeans was bloodstained and one arm was completely smothered in bandages cobbled together from what looked like an old t-shirt.

"Bernard!" he repeated angrily and then he ran up to the boy, not quite hearing the sound of a thrown pokéball. Something pounced on him and sent him to the ground. A cloud of dust littered his raven hair and he felt himself get a nasty graze on his arm. He turned his head and yelped at the sight of a ninetail's jaws mere centimetres away from his face.

"Get...away from him!" ordered the other 'thief', his time a teenage girl. He mentally rolled his eyes. Did Bernard even _look_ before using hyper beam? She walked in a robotic fashion from being bruised but had nowhere near the same extent of injuries.

Mike couldn't risk raising his hands in protest since a fire type's mouth was too close to him for comfort but he tried to convey his innocence in his tone, "I'm wasn't trying to hurt him, I want to help! Please forgive my..." Mike struggled to find the right word, "...colleague's actions. It's just his job to _talk_ to people trying to enter the city." his pointed words were directed at Bernard who was watching nervously.

The girl didn't call off her ninetails, "I don't believe you." she said bluntly, "Especially after you _attacked_ us."

Mike was cursing Bernard a dozen times in his head. There was something different about these trainers; they were so strong for children and, at least the girl, seemed as distrustful as an adult.

"Bernard, recall Dratini!" Mike commanded and Bernard started to understand the situation so he obediently returned his Pokémon. Bernard started edging backwards like he was about to run away but Mike barked an order sternly and Bernard halted.

Steel tried to get up but only managed it with Lancer's help, "Come on Copper."

Copper rolled her eyes but ultimately ordered Jolie to jump off the man who quickly got to his feet, "You're lucky he's nice." she was pointing to Steel.

The man nodded and introduced himself as Mike, "I'm the head watchman here. Sorry for the hyper beam, Bernardo's just a bit trigger happy." he brushed the dust off his red jacket and grinned weakly at the two trainers, hoping they wouldn't attack.

"My name is Steel."

"And I'm Copper. This is Jolie, who'll attack at a moment's notice from me." Copper added threateningly and Jolie growled accordingly. Mike's eyes widened and his mouth grimaced.

"Um..." he was still staring at Jolie, "It's my job to ask all travellers why and how they came to Blackthorn City."

Steel and Copper shared a quite glance, debating whether to lie or tell the truth, "We _were_ supposed to ask about Clair's tunnel." she finished and Mike gasped.

He spoke in a very quiet and hushed voice, "What do you know about Clair's tunnel?"

Copper didn't know why but she understood the sanctity of secrets so she hushed her own voice, "We met Morty in Cherrygrove and he told us that Clair's tunnel would be the best way to the city."

Mike furrowed his eyebrows, "If you were in Cherrygrove why didn't you go to the plateau?"

Steel and Copper hesitated. Steel had told Copper what he's talked about with Gerardo and neither was sure whether the truth would scare Mike or make him send them away.

"Morty told us that there was a Zephyr following us and we couldn't risk him following us to the city. We managed to lose him before the battle at Mahogany though." It was technically the truth just not mentioning that it was _the_ Zephyr following them.

"What battle of Mahogany?"

"You didn't know? The Zephyrs tried to invade Mahogany."

Mike bit his lip, "I'm afraid I didn't. Barely anyone travels nowadays and there's next to no ways of communication."

"It doesn't matter now. The Zephyrs are gone now." Steel said reassuringly, "But what matters is that he said the alternative would be Clair's tunnel in Blackthorn."

"And you trusted him?" Bernardo scoffed. Everyone turned to him.

"What do you mean by that?" Copper asked.

"What I mean is that you two have the naivety to trust a _gym leader_? And I thought you two might actually be smart."

"I can't defend him but I am not naïve!" Copper growled and Steel protested in the background.

"You gotta be if you'd trust one of those back stabbing trainers." Bernardo's voice was changing from mocking to angry.

"They did not betray us!" Mike shouted.

"The most powerful trainers in Kahto are either cowering in a bunker or threatening our lives!" Bernardo retorted and Steel sensed that this argument had not sprung out of nowhere. He didn't realise it at first but quite a lot of people must feel that way.

"Well, Morty _was_ telling the truth." Steel said.

"Not that it'll do you any good. Clair closed _that_ door on us fourteen years ago."

"We chose to stay here because their lives were in danger. The Zephyrs would kill them all just like Koga so it's our duty to take matters into our own hands."

"_You_ chose. People like me had no choice because of all the 'adults' that knew better."

Mike bit his lip, "Steel, follow me. I'll see if I can fix you and your Pokémon up. Copper you can come if you need something."

"It's fine." Steel said, "I've had my miltank use heal bell and a Delibird's present seemed to heal me but I would like to heal my Pokémon."

"Fine. The Pokémon centre's just over there. I'll help you out." he narrowed his eyes and looked to Bernardo, "Tell John that his shift's starting earlier than expected."

Mike walked off before Bernardo could reply and Copper and Steel followed him, meeting eyes with Bernardo before joining Mike. Mike guided them to the Pokémon centre but gave them a quick tour beforehand.

Blackthorn was almost entirely surrounded by cliffs but a lot of them had crumbled and odd rocks and cracks littered the ground. The Pokémon centre and pokémart were overlooking a cliff and the housing was behind them, on the gentle hill that lead up to a lake and the gym, or its ruins. A nearby cliff had collapsed onto it and only parts of the front wall were visible. Perched on a rock there was a statue that Mike pointed to but it was difficult to make out the details from so far away.

By now Steel had noticed that all Pokémon centres were identical with only a few exceptions in the decor. Mike walked around to the other side of the desk and healed their Pokémon but since they had nine pokéballs between them they had to take turns.

"The Pokémon centre is equipped for travellers; you can use the showers here. I suggest you both clean up while you have the chance." Copper and Steel thought that Mike's hint wasn't subtle at all but they both nodded, grateful to have an opportunity to finally get clean.

Steel walked into the Pokémon centre's main area and found Mike waiting for them, "You okay now?" Mike asked and Steel nodded.

"Yeah, thanks for letting us stay. Your 'colleague' didn't seem too happy about us though."

"Sorry about that. He's still bitter about the past."

"But what did he mean when he called the gym leaders 'backstabbers'?"

"He was referring to how a gym leader has been terrorising Kahto for fourteen years and how most of them, to my knowledge at least, are in the Indigo City."

"So you know about that? Does that mean you can help us get to Clair's tunnel?" Steel asked hopefully.

Mike bit his lip, "About that..."

Steel's face fell, "About what?" he asked, not sure if he wanted the answer.

"I'm not sure if Clair's tunnel will open. There's a very complicated lock guarding it and we don't know how to open it."

But Steel was affected by this news. There _had_ to be a way in.

"Do you want to sit down?" Mike asked and Steel shook his head adamantly.

"I told you, I'm fine." he assured by Mike wasn't convinced. He'd moved like he was in so much pain before.

"Well could you tell me how you got them? I'm quite interested in your story, unless that's a secret too."

Steel tried to cover his quick burst of shock, "What secrets?"

Mike raised an eyebrow, "I'm not blind Steel. I can tell you and Copper are hiding something," he spread his hands, "but I'm not here to pry."

Steel hesitated, "No, I'll tell you. My leg was bitten by a raticate in the Mahogany battle, I was shot with a stone in my side and the soot was Jolie's fault."

Dots suddenly joined themselves in Mike's mind but he didn't want to press Steel unless necessary. Maybe it _wasn't_ what he was thinking. "And your arm?"

"Oh, umm... it's a burn. I think." he added quietly.

"Hmmm...Wait. When were you burned?"

"Maybe when I was four? I was younger so I don't remember."

"And you used heal bell?" Steel nodded and Mike rubbed the space between his eyes, "That can't be. A heal bell or a delibird present should have healed a burn. You are a very unusual person, Steel." Mike stated, leaning on the Pokémon centre's desk. Mike looked like he was going to say something else but then Copper strolled in. Her wavy hair was tied in a low ponytail to manage her wet hair.

"Thank you." Mike was shocked by how civil she seemed considering she'd almost torched him. Copper walked over and sat next to Steel, "So listen. We need to get to the city. Can you help us?"

Mike shrugged, "I can tell you where the door is but I'm not sure if I can open it."

Copper smiled, "I think we'll be able to open it. I haven't travelled all around Johto to come to a dead end."

Mike grinned, "You two sure are determined. Sure, I'll take you there now but first I'd like to offer something to you two."

"What something?" Copper asked.

"An old friend of mine looks after abandoned Pokémon and I was wondering if you two would like to take off her hands."

Steel agreed enthusiastically but Copper surprised Mike by having sadness flash across her face but she quickly composed herself and nodded.

"I'd love to save a Pokémon." she said.

Mike thanked her and indicated for them to follow him outside but while Steel got up to go immediately Copper hesitated, too busy thinking. She'd experienced death before, even the loss of people she knew, but Conrad was different. It was the guilt, the guilt of knowing it was her fault. She walked around a hollow feeling in her heart but then Steel would make her laugh or forget, only for the memory to come back like a crashing tauros. She loved the idea of getting another Pokémon but she had to wonder whether it would be like replacing Conrad.

She followed Mike and Steel and found that they were heading up the hill. She jogged to catch up to them and saw them looking at the statue Mike had pointed out beforehand.

"...champion but was a dragon master too. He was like a brother to her so she made this statue."

"Who was a dragon master?" she asked from behind them and she smirked as they both jumped.

"When did you get behind us!?" Steel cried but now Mike was chuckling at their absurd reactions. Mike waved his hand at the statue which they now saw in detail.

It was of a man and a dragon-like Pokémon standing with their backs facing each other and watching protectively over the city. The statue was chipped as it looked like it had been submerged in rocks at some point due to the neat ring around the base that was surrounded by rubble. The man himself had spiky hair and wore a cape. He looked as powerful as the Pokémon he was standing next to and Copper realised that was the point.

"This is Lance, he was the champion of Kahto for most of the war but died in combat. He came from Blackthorn and was supposed to inherit the gym but his father moved away to Viridian in Kanto."

"Then why does he have a statue here?"

"It was Clair. They were cousins, but acted more like siblings, so she wanted to acknowledge his legacy as a dragon master."

Mike turned his head to a nearby house and grinned, "My friend lives there." he turned back to Copper and Steel, "But you've got to be careful. Some of the Pokémon there..."

He was rudely interrupted by the front door of the house in question flying off its hinges and something crashing past the threshold.

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><p><strong>Welcome to Blackthorn City! and the last stretch of Steel and Copper's journey through Johto but it won't be the end of the series. I plan to write chapters in the city and then...<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review to tell me how I can improve! :D**


	24. Chapter 23

It was a small silver shell-like Pokémon which seemed to be hovering above the ground since it was devoid of limbs. Its red eyes were filled with fury and it turned to Steel, Copper and Mike.

It shuddered and they were suddenly the wind suddenly whipped up, spreading the sand it was blasting at the trainers. Mike raised his arm to shield his face and threw a pokéball with the other. A Pokémon, identical to the one on the statue, appeared.

"Safegu..." he began but then he inhaled some sand and began spluttering. The Pokémon threw up an ethereal shield which blocked the sand before turning anxiously to his trainer.

"Mike!" Steel cried and then he threw out Brooke while Bruce appeared alongside Copper. They simultaneously called out attacks. Bruce leapt at the Pokémon, ready to use close combat, but the Pokémon bared its fangs and sparked with electricity. Bruce's fist lashed out but he cried out in pain as the charged teeth sank into him.

Brooke lumbered up to them at high speed and glowed with rage. She punched the Pokémon in the face and made it let go of Bruce. Brooke and Bruce jumped back out of the Pokémon's range and prepared to attack again when Mike's dragonite charged. Dragonite barrelled towards the pupitar and fought against the sandstorm to get its hands on the Pokémon.

"Thunder wave!" Mike yelled, finally getting his voice back after a coughing fit, and electricity coursed through Dragonite's arms.

Copper looked at Mike, confused. "Electricity doesn't work on ground types." Mike nodded and ordered his dragonite to retreat but for Bruce and Brooke not to advance. The sandstorm stopped and the pupitar looked with outraged eyes and Mike and Dragonite. It looked like it was about to attack but it sparked and stayed still. Mike cupped his hands and yelled to his friend in the house.

"It'll all right! It's paralysed!"

Someone popped their head out of the now empty doorframe. He was older than Mike. While Steel had guessed Mike to be from his mid-thirties to his mid-forties but his friend seemed to be in his late fifties.

His hair varied between white blonde to utter white and was receding, "Thanks Mike!" he called back, edging out of his house followed by a dark haired woman of a similar age and a beautiful blue snake-like Pokémon while Copper, Steel and Mike returned their Pokémon.

"Thank you Michael," said the woman as she returned the paralysed Pokémon to its pokéball. She looked to Copper and Steel and smiled, "And who are these two?"

The tips of Mike's ears had turned red at the mention of his full name, "This is Steel and this is Copper. Guys, this is Fran and Paul. As an apology gift I thought that they could have a Pokémon."

"Apology gift?" asked Paul.

Mike glanced back to the rubble covered entrance to the city before replying angrily, "Bernardo thought they were thieves." he said simply and Fran tutted.

"I can't believe that anyone would want to attack such young and innocent looking children."

Copper and Steel stayed silent. They were able to think of many people but didn't want to say that out loud.

"So are there any? Or have you given them all homes." Mike asked.

Paul patted the head of the graceful dragon, "I'm sure Belinda would like to go with one of ya. Though you gotta remember she's scared of evolving."

"How can you stop that? Just not use her for battle?" Copper inquired but the man just chuckled and pointed to the black chokey* around her neck, or more specifically the stone attached to it.

"This is an everstone. It'll keep her from turning into a dragonite as long as she wears it." Paul rubbed the back of his neck like it was sore from a memory, "I wouldn't recommend going near it." Copper nodded in understanding.

Fran held pupitar's pokéball cautiously in her hand, "But the only other Pokémon we have is...pupitar." she looked dithered, "Oh, I'm so sorry. That Bernardo..." she didn't complete the sentence.

Steel raised his hands, "No seriously I'm fine. You don't have to go through any trouble for me."

"No, I insist. It's my job to give these Pokémon homes, either in the wild or with good trainers, and you seem like a trustworthy man to me."

Steel blushed slightly, "Since when have you been doing that?"

Paul looked up in thought, "Well, Fran and I retired from the Blackthorn gym about two years before the war so about eighteen years."

"That's a long time." Steel commented but Paul chuckled.

"Maybe to you but it's not even half our lives." His wife elbowed him in the ribs.

"Half _yours_ maybe but I'm still as young as I was then." she joked then stuck out her lips and looked at Steel with pity, "It's still a shame."

Steel smiled, "I'm fine, honest." he looked to Copper, "At least this way we'll both have five."

"Five!?" Paul exclaimed, "How did you get that many?"

Steel's face flashed with confusion. It wasn't that many, was it? "We've been travelling through Johto and picked them up on the way. Why?"

"It's just that, with quite a few people becoming poképhobics and a lot of Pokémon being lost in the war, you don't see a lot of trainers nowadays and even then the usual is about two or three."

Steel looked shocked and glanced to Copper to verify but she shrugged, "The people in my city had none or four." her speech was guarded to make sure they didn't guess where she came from.

Paul smiled, "If that is the case then I expect you'll be able to handle him." Fran passed the pokéball to Steel who caught it gingerly. "We call 'im Knucker. He's a bit aggressive but that's just him proving who's boss. Just tell 'im what's what and he'll listen soon enough."

Fran looked to Copper, "Her name is Belinda. Like my husband said, if you don't touch her necklace she'll be perfect for you." she looked Belinda in the eyes and smiled, "This is Copper and she'll give you a good home from now on." Belinda looked Copper up and down before glancing anxiously to Fran.

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of you." Copper straightened up, "I'll make sure nothing happens to you." her words had a strange weight to them that only Steel heard. Fran returned Belinda and handed the pokéball to Copper.

Copper chuckled at Steel who was still holding Knucker's pokéball like it was going to explode. The ribbing broke him out of his thoughtful trance and he placed the pokéball in his jacket alongside the rest.

"So where are you two headed anyway?" Paul asked, "Are you going to New Bark Town? You just have to travel south for a while and it's then a bit to the east."

Mike shook his head and lowered his voice, "No. I'm showing the way to Clair's tunnel."

The old couple's eyes widened, "But you do know we don't know how to open the door right?" Fran asked and Copper nodded determinedly.

"We'll get through."

"If you get there could you do me a favour?" Paul asked.

Steel nodded, "What?"

"If you meet Clair can you tell her that her altaria's doing fine but Salamance was...The den..." he didn't finish and looked for the words, not wanting to trouble such young people with his old troubles.

"We promise." Copper finished. She was smiling to comfort the couple but her eyes had a recognisable sadness in them.

Mike told them that he'd be back soon and sheparded Steel and Copper in the right direction. They headed to the ravine and crossed the old log bridge which Mike and Copper passed with no problem but it was only the teasing of Copper that got Steel past it. _Did they not see the sheer drop or were they blind to the raging river below?_ Steel wondered.

They crossed into route 45 and Mike led them to one of the cliffs. Copper and Steel noticed immediately what he was leading them to. In the middle of one of the rock walls there was a massive chunk missing, outlined with black. Something very strong had blasted the cliff and left a very long tubular corridor.

"This is Clair's tunnel. A couple of metres down there's a door which we haven't been able to open."

"Can't you just blow it up?" Copper asked.

Mike shook his head, "It's there to protect the city from people who'd attack the people there. If we remove the door then the security's compromised."

Copper called out Jolie and Mike automatically stepped backwards. She ordered her to light the way and the three of them ventured into the tunnel. There was a wall of solid metal and there was a door cut into it. The door had no visible handle and when Copper rammed her shoulder into it, it didn't move or give any indication it could.

"Do you know how Clair got in originally?" Steel asked Mike and he frowned.

"She just got all her Pokémon to hyper beam the rocks until they reached the city. The door was installed later after she got several people inside."

Steel pressed his hand to the metal and tried to figure it out. His mind tried to recall what Morty had said but Cherrygrove seemed like ages ago even though it couldn't have been more than two days ago. He'd told them to show the Fog badge. Steel unclipped the badge from the inside of his jacket and fingered it for a moment. Scanning the door for a place he could put it.

"What's that?" Mike asked, having to look over the shoulder of Copper and Steel. Steel looked back to him and held the badge up to Jolie's light. "You beat Morty in a battle?"

Copper chuckled, "More like he gave them to us. He was going easy on us."

Steel looked hurt, "Really?"

Mike's voice was reassuring, "You can't expect the most powerful trainers in Kahto to go all out on young trainers. They have other teams." Steel nodded, "But I think that if he gave you them they must be important."

"But this doesn't seem like a very good plan. The Zephyr leader was a gym leader. He'd have badges." Copper said.

"I doubt _his_ badge is eligible." Mike assumed.

Steel held the badge carefully and held it out to the door. He let go of it in shock as it snapped to the metal as if it was magnetic. The force of the snap seemed nothing compared to the force of Copper slamming into it but it somehow opened the door.

Suddenly all the three of them saw was the slowly widening gap and all they heard was the creaking of its hinges. They stopped and looked at the door. Steel would not have believed a week ago that he'd be here. He couldn't believe how close he was the city. Copper on the other hand couldn't believe all that they'd done on what had seemed like such a simply trip.

Steel was the first to move. He walked to the opening and took an unsure step into Clair's tunnel. He turned back and looked to Mike, "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" he asked.

Mike hesitated but only for a second, he straightened up and said, "No. I'm sure you'll be fine on your own. I haven't changed in the fourteen years since. We need to sort this region out and it's my duty to stay."

Copper and Jolie walked over to join Steel and Mike grabbed the edge of the door, "Thank you." Steel said.

Mike smiled and they swung the door shut. The sound echoed through the empty tunnel and all they saw was each other and Jolie bathed in the light of the fire.

They began walking and after a long silence Copper spoke up, "It's funny. Just a week ago I wouldn't guessed I'd be free."

"Same here. Though 'free' isn't the way I'd describe it. I never felt trapped in Mount Mortar, I never really wanted to leave but I'm glad I did."

"Do you even know what we're going to do there?" Copped asked with the tone of confession.

"Well, we're going to find Clair and keep our promise. Then I want some answers."

They walked a while in silence. Copper patted Jolie's head, "I suppose I should thank you Steel. Thanks for letting me come with you and give me an opportunity to get stronger."

Steel smiled, "Thank you too. If you hadn't knocked me out that day I definitely wouldn't be here. I would've stumbled into Violet City." His hand drifted to his side where he'd been shot, "I'll confess that I didn't believe that people would be so cruel but you helped me open my eyes."

Copper frowned sadly, "I'm not sure if that's something you should be thanking me for."

"No, it's a good thing. Without you I would have stumbled into traps like a blind psyduck." Copper lightly punched him playfully but then retracted her hand when he gasped in pain.

"Sorry." Something came to her mind, "Is _that_ what you want an answer to?"

Steel looked away but nodded, "Mike said that a heal bell should have healed it, but it didn't. It's unusual." he looked to Copper, "In a way we both came out with the worst of both worlds."

"What do you mean?"

"I came out with several injuries and more bruises than I count but you..."

Copper nodded, "Some scars run deeper than wounds."

They kept walking, stopping every so often for Jolie to catch her breath. The tunnel seemed impossibly long and the low light was starting to hurt their eyes.

"How long is this tunnel?!" Copper suddenly exclaimed, causing Steel to jump and them to burst out with laughter at his reaction.

"Stop shocking me!" cried Steel, trying to sound angry but he was laughing too much.

"It's your fault for..." she didn't finish and Steel looked at her, confused.

"What...?" he began but then he looked around and understood why Copper had stopped. Jolie's fire illuminated the cave so they clearly saw another door just like the one earlier in the tunnel.

Steel had been trying to cope with the reality of his ambition's completion ever since they arrived at the stone corridor but now it was looming over him. His hand was almost shaking as he reached to place the badge on the door but then...nothing happened.

Steel tried over and over but the badge didn't stick like it had before. Copper tried hers but it failed just as it had before.

"What should we do?" Steel asked, refusing to let the doubts of others get to him but it was needling at the back of his mind. He couldn't have come all this way for nothing. Could he?

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><p><strong>*Choky - You know, one of those tight necklaces? Like Cinderella wore.<strong>

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><strong>Hope you enjoyed and please review to tell me how to improve. I want this to be the best for you! :D<strong> 


	25. Chapter 24

**Ha ha ha! Sorry for the cliffhanger last time guys (not really but still...) Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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><p>Blue tossed and turned in his chair, trying to get comfortable on the hard wood but its solidity prevented sleep as much as coffee. Clair probably chose them for that reason exactly. Not that he slept on the job often. Blue took his job as a guard very seriously but he'd had the early morning shift that day and kept rubbing his drowsy eyes. Just because Clair didn't mind forfeiting sleep didn't mean that they all did.<p>

The night shift was always bad no matter how late you stayed up usually but being in the most desolate area of the city didn't help and she was going to give this shift to Bruno!? Blue groaned aloud, cursing his decision but then again he couldn't make Bruno do it at his age. Blue was the youngest among the elite but he felt ancient when he compared his age to how old he'd been when he'd been the champion.

Clair was a devoted and determined leader, they couldn't have asked for anyone more fit for the job, but she often forgot that they didn't mind not sleeping for a few days.

He looked down the empty corridor and the empty staircase before throwing out his arcanine. The massive orange and black dog gave Blue a judgmental look as it realised why it had been called out.

Blue was patting down his ginger spikes like they were a cap he could put over his eyes when he caught Arcanine's gaze.

"Don't look at me like that," Blue grumbled, "_You_ actually have the energy for the night shift." he shifted once more in his chair because closing his eyes sleepily, "Bark if anything interesting happens." he yawned and carefully placed the screen on his lap, making sure it wouldn't fall off and break.

Arcanine rolled its eyes but could understand how tired its trainer was. It sat down and perked up its ears, carefully watching the empty stone halls.

They were both still for a long while, when suddenly Aracanine's ear pricked up, hearing something muffled. Blue, who was sleeping very lightly, heard his Pokémon react.

"What is it boy?" he asked quietly but Arcanine was unsure, trying to listen more intently. It was definitely voices.

Arcanine barked to wake up Blue and he stirred. He stretched drowsily but then stopped suddenly. He heard the voices too.

"What should we do?" it was a young boy's voice.

"We could knock it down." suggested a feminine voice and Blue would have laughed had the moment not been so shocking. He grabbed for the screen and saw them there. A boy and a girl, probably fifteen years old, were there.

Blue shot off his seat and patted down his jacket, looking for the pad and pen he kept in one of the many pockets. He finally found it and scrawled a quick message before handing the scrap of paper to Arcanine.

"Tell Clair and any other members you find on your way there." Arcanine nodded quickly before Blue tucked the message into his collar and he bounded off.

Blue faced the large metal door and raised his hand to the key pad. He input the code and waited anxiously for the ancient machine to verify it. The door shuddered and the device glowed green, indicating it was unlocked. He threw the door open and came across the shocked faces of the teens, a hitmonlee which was rearing its legs, ready to knock down the door, and a ninetails behind them.

They all stopped and watched each other for a moment, assessing whether they were friend or foe but Blue decided to act to the protocol, which he hadn't revised in ages. To be honest, they'd given up all hope once it disappeared.

"Who are you and why are you here?" he asked, forgetting his own introduction. The girl's silver eyes were glaring at Blue with suspicion but the boy looked amazed. The feeling was mutual.

"My name is Steel."

"And I'm Copper." she returned Bruce and Jolie as a gesture of peace but kept her hands next to her belt just in case.

"And we're here because Professor and Oak said it would be a safe place."

Blue raised an eyebrow but didn't voice the problem with that. His eyes kept darting around, making it obvious to Copper and Steel that he was waiting for someone, "Do you have any Pokémon on you?" he asked but unlike the people at Azalea it wasn't suspicion, he genuinely sounded curious and then Steel remembered Morty's attitude. Here they were probably like him, regarding Pokémon battles as some kind of art.

"Yeah, I've got a feraligatr, a beedrill, a miltank, a gloom, a steelix and a pupitar."

Blue smiled, impressed, "That's a lot for someone so young." he turned to Copper, "And you?"

Copper nodded, "A meganium, a ninetails, a hitmonlee, a magneton and a dragonair." Copper felt no need to mention the sixth one that should have been there. She crossed her arms and met Blue's eyes, "What about you? We've told you _our_ names and what we've got."

Blue nodded, he felt like he should have chuckled but it merely danced around his lips, "My name is Blue and I'm one of the elite here but I'm also a gym leader. I've got an arcanine, a machamp, a gyrados, an exeggutor, an alakazam and an aerodactyl."

Steel and Copper tried to repress the anger they felt at the mention of that Pokémon. An awkward silence fell over them. Blue's head kept twitching but no-one had come and he continued cursing Clair's lack of foresight at the creation of her tunnel.

"If you're a gym leader how come you don't specialise in a type?" Steel asked.

Blue shrugged, "The speciality thing is supposed to prove you've become a master of that type but I wanted to be able to beat _any_ trainer." Copper nodded like she could appreciate that mindset.

All their heads turned to the staircase where loud footsteps and barking could be heard, Copper reached for her belt instinctively but Blue held out his hand to stop her.

"Wait," he ordered, "They're friendly. Relatively speaking." he added honestly. It was the attitudes of the league that got them here in the first place and though they had tried matters hadn't exactly helped.

Arcanine was the first to come into view and he bounded to his trainer, barking happily. Blue returned him to his pokéball and stepped to the side, presenting Copper and Steel to the six newcomers.

They were an odd bunch of people with at least two of them wearing pyjamas. The one at the front was obviously the leader who was very intimidating despite her bedraggled appearance.

She had shoulder length blue hair and wore an oversized black t-shirt along with tracksuit bottoms but the oddest part about her was the whip she carried in her right hand. She clenched it threateningly every so often as if she was daring people to make fun of her.

"My name is Clair, I'm the champion here. Who are you and why are you here?" she demanded, a much more serious echo of Blue.

"I'm Copper." her voice was bored from having to repeat herself.

"And I'm Steel. We're here because Professor Oak and Morty said it was safe here."

Clair gave a short, dry laugh. It sounded like a crack of a whip, "Those are the two people who couldn't have sent you."

Steel furrowed his eyebrows, "Why not?"

"Because they're both dead." Clair said bluntly.

"Morty's not dead!" Copper said and Clair narrowed her eyes.

"And how do you know that?"

"Because we met him in Cherrygrove and he told us to take _your_ tunnel."

Clair turned to Steel, "What about Oak who I know for a fact is dead?"

Steel held up his wrist, "He didn't tell us _in person_!" something about Clair's gaze made him feel like he was at gun point, "It's just his message on the pokégear."

Clair opened her mouth to question them further but then she remembered the state of everyone there, "I'll need to hear your story in the meeting room. Blue, show them the way while Brock and I get some more appropriate clothes."

She cracked her whip to show the current conversation was over and she turned to go up the stairs along with a spiky haired man just in baggy olive trousers.

Blue turned to Copper and Steel and indicated with his arms to the corridor, "This way kids," Copper muttered something about detesting the words but they followed him anyway with the four others behind them.

The meeting room consisted of a massive table but that seemed to be just it. Blue and the others seemed to have specific chairs which they automatically made beelines for but Copper and Steel hovered until Blue asked them to sit opposite them.

Steel would have guessed the average age of them to be forty but one man looked older. His hair was almost completely grey and had a large bald patch. He and a woman with strawberry blonde hair acted friendly and introduced themselves as Bruno and Misty but the two other women were looking away and didn't introduce themselves. The younger of the two looked shy but the other acted like she just didn't want to be there.

They waited patiently for Brock and Clair to come in while Copper and Steel burned under the watchful eyes. Steel silently sighed in relief when the two finally entered, not really realising that they still had a story to tell. Clair sat at the head of the table while Brock sat next to Misty and Clair looked two the two trainers.

"Can you tell us your story from the start?" it was phrased like a question but felt like a command. Steel and Copper quickly exchanged glances, wondering who should start off.

Copper sighed and looked to the adults, "Well all you need to know about my background is that I had to live with the Zephyrs in Ecruteak City since I was about six until I knocked out Steel and he agreed to let me come with him."

"Did you say 'Zephyrs'? What do you mean by that?" Misty asked and Copper's eyes widened. How long had they been here?

"They're the group that pretty much runs Johto, but I don't know too much about Kanto, and they're run by Falkner." Clair nodded solemnly like Copper had confirmed her fears. She looked to Steel and indicated for him to speak.

"I've lived in Mount Mortar my entire life until I went outside to check I noise I heard. No-one was about but I found a pokégear and a totodile."

Steel continued his story with Copper cutting in every so often to tell her side of the story or correct him. The league listened intently and silently, only giving reactions to some of the more shocking facts but leaving their questions to the end. The attention was uncomfortable for Steel as was the realisation of how close he'd come to death. It felt so unreal despite the memories stuck in his mind that told him otherwise.

Once they finished with saying good-bye to Mike Steel perked up and looked Clair in the eyes, "Fran says that your altaria is fine..." Clair nodded with a far off look like she was remembering something, "but the earthquakes collapsed the den." it didn't feel right telling her this with so many others peering into the conversation but he didn't have to tell her explicitly. She understood by her face remained stoic.

They'd all experienced death. In a way it made Steel glad. He wanted to comfort Copper about Conrad but he just didn't understand she felt, at least the people here did.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for such a short chapter but I felt like I had to end it there. Welcome to the Indigo City where finally we'll get some answers! :D<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review if you have any questions about the story or want tp tell me how I can improve. :D**


	26. Chapter 25

The league had listened intently for the most part but after Steel had finished there were a few things that they kept questioning him on certain facts. Like Bugsy and Morty.

Most of them seemed relieved and happy that Morty had not been killed by Falkner but had instead been protecting Cherrygrove City but Clair's fists clenched at the news of Bugsy.

"So he'd been hiding in the Ilex forest the entire time? Right next to his town as it was taken over?" she asked with venom in her voice and Copper nodded. Steel and Copper jumped as Clair banged the table with her fist. "That coward." she growled.

"I can't believe he'd do such a thing." Brock said, "He didn't help the people?"

Copper smirked, "Don't worry about that, I punched him and made him fix up Goldenrod for us." Clair nodded approvingly.

"But how did you survive a battle with Falkner?" Misty asked incredulously and Steel wasn't sure whether to be offended or flattered, "I mean, he's….he was a gym leader and he's managed to conquer most of Johto. How did you two survive?"

As much as Copper liked the idea of making herself seem stronger she didn't want them to underestimate the Zephyr leader, "He was just toying with us. He could have killed us almost instantly but he left it up to the lighthouse."

"Why would he do that?" Clair inquired and Copper shrugged.

"He was probably bored."

The look on the league member's faces was that of disgust, even one of the inattentive women looked appalled. She was dressed entirely in black but her purple hair was not in her hood. Her body language was inward and closed off which made Steel begin to suspect she wasn't intentionally being rude.

But the most troubling thing about them to the league was the pokégear. Clair regarded him with suspicion whenever he said he just found it but he didn't know what else to say. When Steel showed them the message all their faces fell. Clair gazed to Blue and he nodded. His face was expressionless like he was trying to hide something.

"It sounds like he died soon after this was made." he confirmed and Steel's eyes widened in shock then he realised how naive he'd been. How could he not have understood that it had been the earthquakes and floods in the background?

Blue stood up and all eyes fell on him. "That's all I need to hear. I'll try to investigate this but thank you for your information." he walked out and left without another word but with something clearly on his mind.

Clair turned to the other members, "I believe we've asked enough from our guests at the time being. It's late and they deserve some rest after all they've been through today." she concluded and the other adults nodded and left, catching Clair's hint that she wanted to speak with them alone.

The door closed and Steel suddenly felt scared as he and Copper were left alone with the intimidating woman.

"Thank you for informing me about my salamance. Are Fran and Paul well?" she asked cautiously, like she was almost afraid but didn't let herself be.

Steel smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry. They're all fine."

"Why do you have an altaria? I thought you of all people would _hate_ anything Hoenn." Copper said and Clair looked taken aback by the question before quickly composing herself again.

"I did." she admitted, "But they were still my Pokémon and I couldn't just release them. During the war Hoenn Pokémon were taboo for Kahto residents so I decided to hide them."

"But Hoenn destroyed us. Why _did_ you hate them? Past tense."

Clair took a deep breath, "I realised how short sighted that was. Janine convinced us _all_ how hate led to nothing but suffering." her tone was funny, like she found it hard to believe she was saying such a thing.

"Janine?" asked Steel.

"The woman with purple hair."

Steel recalled her and thought for a moment, "If you don't mind me asking, why _was_ she like that?"

Clair's eyes became sad, "She suffered a great loss, though she wasn't being rude. I can assure you she was listening but the topic is hard for her." Clair straightened up, "But that's not for me to talk about. It's late and I feel that you two should get some rest. I can give you both rooms and we'll take more tomorrow." Clair quickly consulted a map that she'd been leaning on, "You can both stay in 308 and 309. There are directions every so often to help people around such a large city."

Copper and Steel nodded appreciatively as they got up. They walked out and closed the door, Steel's stomach growled loudly against the silence of the corridor and Copper sighed.

"Yeah, I'm hungry too. I wish we could've eaten something while we were there."

Steel unslung his bag and dug through the contents. He smiled and pulled out some berries, "I'm famished. It's like we barely ate."

They slowly made their way down to where their rooms were, eating as they went, and Steel was marvelling over the size of the city. There were countless rooms, each with an identical metal door, and Steel almost couldn't believe it when they finally found theirs.

"It wasn't that long." Copper chastised and Steel slumped his shoulders, "At least all the talking's done." she yawned, "I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open."

"_I_ was doing most the talking." Steel grumbled and Copper smirked.

"But _I_ had to listen to it."

Steel laughed and opened the door to his new room, "I'll see you in the morning. I want to talk but-" he was interrupted by a yawn, "-but all I can think of is sleep."

Copper murmured in agreement and opened her door, "Night." she called and then she walked into her room, rubbing her eyes. Steel echoed the word and stumbled into his room, not even noticing any of the decor except the bed, and he fell onto his bed just before remembering to close the door.

* * *

><p>He woke up confused, sleep dulling his mind and wondering where he was. The room was painted white and only had the bed he was sitting on, a desk and small room in the corner but he was only wondering for a few moments when he suddenly remembered where he was. He grudgingly got out of bed, not knowing the time, and investigated his room even though there wasn't much to investigate. He suddenly remembered his pokégear. He turned it on and his eyes widened in horror, it was three in the morning!<p>

He moaned and looked back to the bed with frustratingly wide eyes. He then realised that he wouldn't find going back to sleep easy. He paced his room shortly, wondering what to do now, when he remembered once again where he was. Copper and Steel had had to check the mounted maps on the wall several times to get to their rooms but had spotted some interesting sounding rooms on the way. Steel glanced back guiltily. He knew he should go back to bed but he didn't know when he'd get another chance to explore the city uninterrupted.

He took off his neckerchief and goggles but then paused. He'd been wearing them non-stop for the past week even though he hardly wore them at Mount Mortar. Their absence made him feel strangely homesick. He'd wanted his father to come with him and though he understood that he never would have made it he still couldn't accept that he'd never see him again. He clenched his fists and made a mental note to find some way to get him here, somehow. The only mementos he had of home was the bag and a few of its contents. The clothes, the money but nothing much.

He turned to the door, his mind's buzzing making him increasingly less tired, and put his hand on the handle but he quickly let go, something crossing his mind. The desk came with a pen and a pad of paper. He popped the cap off the pen and scribbled something on his hand in case he forgot. He went back to the door and threw it open as quietly as he could.

The corridor was lit with bright overhead lights and the lack of windows made Steel feel disorientated. It could have been midnight or midday for all he knew. There was a map very close to room 309 and he searched it for nearby places.

There was a training ground for Pokémon and a gym (the exercise kind). He noticed a communications room and tactics room but what interested him most was the memorial.

His mind had been constantly prickling him for as long as he could remember. He wanted answers but any one came with infinitely more questions. Copper had told him a lot about how Johto'd got this way but he knew nothing and the secrets were almost killing him. The memorial might tell him something about the war.

He strolled towards the indicated room but the search was harder than he'd expected with every door looking alike. He didn't dare open any doors he was unsure of so he ended up silently jogging back to a map to verify the room's number. The majority of the city's rooms were residential so Steel approached every door with caution despite many being empty.

_135_, Steel repeated in his head, _135_, he didn't want to risk forgetting or intruding on the wrong room. Room 135 was at the end of a corridor and Steel felt nervous walking up to it. He reached for the handle with a slightly shaking hand and inhaled as he opened the door only to exhale with relief when it turned out not to be someone's room.

Steel walked into the room, it had the same plain door of any other, but he noticed the highly polished floor and the bright yet simultaneously sombre lighting. He looked around while walking further and found that each wall of engraved with an absurd number of names. He felt nervous; he wanted to somehow disperse the sorrow he'd felt once stepping past the threshold but when he found a plaque above the entrance it didn't go away. He turned around to face the door once more, the irrational sadness becoming almost unbearable but then found a massive plaque staring at his face.

_In memory of those who died in the Kahto/Hoenn conflict._

Steel stepped back and began taking in the massiveness of the room. Surely there hadn't been that many casualties. On the four walls he found three dividing marks, one saying 'Kahto', the next saying 'Disaster' and the final one reading 'Hoenn'. The 'Kahto' section was the largest but the others weren't small. 'Disaster' was incomplete. Steel could tell because it had empty space beneath it while the others went down the floor.

The last names were Will, Pikachu (Red) and Red, those names meant nothing to Steel, but then he noticed the last name.

_Salamance (Clair)_

Steel looked around but saw no-one. It was foolish to think that she was there but he found it hard to believe she'd been here and engraved her Pokémon's name into stone already.

Red and Will must have been important because they, like only a few others, had a box scratched around them. The next boxed name was above quite a few others and Steel was confused to find Morty and Bugsy's name on the memorial.

Steel was thinking when he heard footsteps. He wheeled around and saw Blue in the doorframe. "I wondered why the door was open." He followed Steel's line of sight to Morty's name and called out a Pokémon.

Steel jumped and reached for his jacket as he recognised it as an aerodactyl but Blue stopped him. "Calm down kid, you're safe here." Steel walked out of Blue and the aerodacyl's way and watched them scratch out Morty's name then Bugsy's. Blue then returned aerodactyl and grinned his one sided grin at Steel, "No use having alive guys on here." he glared quickly at the bug type leader's name and was about to walk out when he faced the Hoenn wall and stared at it sadly.

He sighed and began talking, more to himself than Steel, "We killed them you know... There are no winners in a war, only the ones who lost least, but in this situation I don't know which one we were. Hoenn surrendered but we're the ones fourteen years in the future still having people die because of it." He traced one of the boxed names with his finger, "I _hated_ them for absolute years. I spend days wishing we'd let Falkner summon the legendaries," his voice was a painful cocktail of loathing, sorrow and utter regret, "but I later realised...I'd _never_ wish this fate on someone else..."

Steel was filled with new respect and disgust for Blue. _Let Falkner summon the legendaries_? Let him win!? But he admired how he still managed to feel kindness for those who did all this to him. _I guess that's what separates him from people like Falkner,_ Steel thought. _People who'd lost all compassion years ago_...

"We built this memorial almost immediately after creating the city but it was Janine's idea to include the Hoenn section."

"Janine?"

"She was the one to get me to come around, us_ all _to come around. Losing her father cleared her head in a lot of ways. She made us realise that though the pain never goes away we can act to stop causing more."

Steel glanced back at the disaster wall and saw the pikachu inscribed there. He looked and found that there were lots of Pokémon on the walls too. Blue watched curiously as Steel threw out his feraligatr and then look back unsurely to Blue.

"Can I?" he asked. Blue remembered Copper's retelling of the Mahogany battle and nodded. Steel whispered something to the feraligatr and she began dragging her claw against the stone, etching out a name.

Steel was looking sadly at Brooke when he suddenly remembered something. He looked back to Blue while trying to get the images out of his head, "Professor Oak was your grandfather, right?" Blue nodded forlornly, "So did you know Professor Elm?"

"Yeah, he and gramps often met up to exchange notes and whatnot so I knew him."

Steel's eyes seemed incapable of seeing anything but the Professor, "W-what was his family's names?" Steel's voice was choking on the sadness he'd heard in the professor's voice.

Blue's face fell as realisation dawned on his face, shocking him to the core and horrifying him, "No...H-his son was _thirteen_ when the war ended. Why!?"

Steel didn't realise how young his son had been. How could anyone be that cruel? "I don't know." Steel admitted sadly, "When I rescued Elm from New Bark Town it was just him and a bunch of Zephyrs."

Blue looked away, "Their names were Amanda and Josh." Steel turned back to Brooke and she began engraving more names.

When he was finished Blue spoke up, "Thanks for doing that. I hate that someone your age has to experience death but we need people from the outside to keep the wall updated."

Steel was speaking before he really thought about it, "Or you could do something about the deaths." Steel growled, finally able to express his anger about all these powerful trainers hiding away in a bunker. Blue looked like he wanted to get angry but just stopped himself.

"You don't know what you're talking about kid." his voice was restrained and hollow.

"Maybe, but I thought a bunch of powerful trainers _in charge_ of leading Kahto would want to help it."

"What, you think we haven't tried!?" Blue shouted and Steel said nothing as the leader stormed over to the disaster wall and pointed to Koga's name, "We tried, Steel! People died and we had to stop once we realised we couldn't do anything without pointlessly losing more lives!" he pointed angrily to Will and Red's name, "Yet we kept trying! Will died for being a part of the league that imprisoned Falkner so none of us could go but Red was murdered just for being there. That's when we had to admit we couldn't risk any more lives." his voice trailed off into sadness but Steel still didn't understand.

"But, surely Falkner isn't better than _all_ of you? I mean, he was just a gym leader while some of you were in the elite!"

"It was _that_ mindset that got Koga killed. Maybe he was just a gym leader but now he's a ruthless leader who's trained in combat and has an army on his side."

"But..."

"And our priorities are the citizens _here_. We can't even get help from outside because our communications are broken."

Steel raised his wrist, "Can't you use Oak or Morty's pokégears?"

Blue shook his head, "Pokégears are meant to be sturdy but the finer functions, like inter-region signal, short out easily, like when you crash into the ocean." Blue sighed and put his hands behind his head, "I don't want to argue with you Steel. You're a powerful trainer with a good heart but you must remember you're just a boy while _we're_ veterans."

Blue walked out and closed the door, leaving Steel on his own.

Steel stood in the room for a long moment until he finally recalled Brooke. He knew it was late and a sleep deprived mind wouldn't help anyone so he started walking towards his room, or at least where he remembered his room to be.

He stopped his the middle of the corridor and put his head in his hand but then lowered it when he noticed his forehead felt sticky. Steel looked to his palm and saw smudged writing. _135, wasn't it_? Steel thought but all it took was turning around to remember that wasn't it. If only he could remember where it actually was.

* * *

><p><strong>25th chapter! Thanks again guy! :D<strong>

**To all you who actually liked Falkner as a gym leader, sorry. It's funny, in the manga he was one of my favourite gym leaders so what did I do? Make him the main villain. :P**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please review if you have tips on how to improve or any questions about the series. :D**


	27. Chapter 26

Steel was now hopelessly lost in a city full of identical doors and plain walls. There were mounted maps but with no destination in mind they were useless. He passed door by door until he was feeling dizzy. He slumped against a wall and ran a hand through his silver hair, still thinking about what Blue had said.

His exhaustion had returned with time and now he was dying for some sleep. Steel closed his eyes and smiled sleepily, maybe he could sleep right here. And he would have if something hadn't jarringly interrupted the city's silence. It was voices, muffled voices, and they were arguing very close by.

Steel jumped back and looked anxiously at the nearby rooms. He backed away from where he was standing but the voices just got louder. He tip-toed away from the corner room where he determined the voices to be coming from but kept listening despite his best interests.

"...stole our only hope!" the voice was a woman's but Steel couldn't tell who, his mind was too addled from waking up so early, "...he proof!"

Another female voice retorted, "...my...I have a right!" Steel couldn't bear the curiosity any longer. He stepped forward and pressed his ear to the wall.

"If anyone had the right it was Blue! He's Oak's grandson!" the voice was Clair's!

"But they're my family! If you had any you'd want them to join you but I can't ask much from such a lonely fool." Steel didn't recognise the second voice.

"How dare you! Lance died to save us!"

"He died for a lost cause." the woman's voice was scathing, "It's your fault anyway. You _forced_ me to come back. I happy for four whole years until your dragonite came blasting down our door."

"You came of your own accord and don't pretend you did any different."

The woman scoffed, "It's not like I had a choice."

"It's not my fault you burned down all your bridges." there was an unsettling venom to Clair's words.

"Get out of my room Clair! We're all stuck here now and it's only because of _him_ I didn't escape like Will did!"

"Keep going and you'll get yourself killed just like Will."

"Get out!" she screamed and Steel heard the door handle rattle. Steel's mind flashed of what Clair would do if she caught him eavesdropping. He sprinted down the corridor before stopping abruptly, cursing his loud feet.

"Who's there!?" Clair called threateningly and Steel swore under his breath in a panic.

"It's just me, Steel." he called meekly, trying not to sound suspicious, and Clair followed the sound of his voice to find him.

"What are you doing here Steel? It's four in the morning." she asked exasperatedly.

"I...um...woke up and met Blue in the memorial and I forgot where my room was."

Clair looked into his eyes, judging whether he was lying, but came to a conclusion and pointed down the corridor, "You're lucky I'm on night duty. Your room's 309."

Steel nodded and ran down the corridor obediently, his mind buzzing more than ever. He followed the increasing door numbers to his room and burst in. He wanted to sleep as soon as possible but he was too busy trying to make sense out of what he'd heard. It was clear that Clair was accusing someone of something but without recognising the second woman it was like trying to finish an incomplete jigsaw puzzle.

His thoughts were too cluttered to cohesively dream. There were gym leaders and scenes of pain. Him being shot by aerodactyl, drowning, being bitten and fire. His dream was _full_ of fire and he woke up with his arm paining more than ever.

He was jolted awake by someone knocking on his door which was more of a warning than anything since Copper was already strolling in.

"You forgot to lock your door." she said, "Sleep well?"

Steel shook his head, "I woke up at three then I met Blue in the memorial and forgot where my room was." Copper chuckled and grabbed Steel's wrist as he got up, eyeing the black ink smudge. "Where do you plan on going?" he asked.

"Karen asked to see me."

"Karen?" his mind was full of new names but Karen wasn't one of them.

"You know, the woman who looked like she wasn't listening. She wanted to talk about my fear."

"Oh, is she a dark type specialist?" Copper nodded and Steel moaned, "Did you wake me up just to say that?"

Copper grinned, "It's not the _only_ reason. I wanted to tell you where I'd be if you need me, room 111." she walked out.

Steel was wondering what he'd do with his day but only one word came to his mind. 'Answers'. He wanted answers.

He got up and headed to meeting room, hoping to get some breakfast after Clair told him about Will or Koga (and where he could get breakfast) but when he reached the meeting room, the journey felt much shorter this time, she wasn't there. No one was and that's when Steel realised they must have jobs others than interrogating him.

He once again found himself wondering the city but this time he had more purpose to his venturing. One of the larger rooms on the map was labelled 'canteen*) so he decided to head there and when he got there he was not disappointed. Copper had woken him up at eight o'clock so even after travelling to the meeting hall and back people were still having breakfast.

The hall smelt gloriously of bacon and along the tables that spanned the length of the massive room people were eating eggs, bacon and other traditional breakfast food.

He followed the lead of the others and joined the queue** for the food. They were people giving out plates from the other side of the counter, exchanging brief pleasantries before serving the next person in line. It was Steel's time and he found himself facing Misty.

Her strawberry blonde hair was wearing a hairnet and she wore an apron. She recognised Steel and beamed, "Good morning, how did you sleep?" she asked, preparing his plate.

"Fine," he lied, not wanting to trouble her. She handed him the plate and he was about to go to one of the tables when he stopped, "Misty, do you know where Clair would be about know?"

Misty rested a hand on her hip as she thought, "She'd be in her room. She takes the night shift most days and is pretty much nocturnal but she'd be awake once you've finished that." she gestured to Steel's plate with her ladle. Someone walked up to her and she smiled at them too but told Steel Clair's room number just before serving them.

Steel hadn't had food like what they served at the city before and he adored it! His father couldn't have cooked anything like this back at home. His heart pained at the thought of his father, now all by himself, but managed to take his mind of things by reaffirming his promise. He didn't care how much he'd have to work, he'd get his father to safety.

Once he'd put his plate away he decided to travel to where Misty said Clair's room was. He approached 312 cautiously, hoping with all his heart that she was awake. Out of all the people he'd met in the Indigo City, Clair scared him the most but he supposed that was the point. Now of all they needed a leader who they believed could protect them. He knocked anxiously on the door and she yelled, "Who's there."

Steel gulped, praying that she hadn't been sleeping, "Steel."

"Come in," she called and he walked into a very messy room. There was a massive map of the world on her wall and a profile of Falkner pinned near it. The picture had been vandalised and scratched at. There was a punching bag in the centre and it looked well used. A blanket and pillow were tucked away in the corner as if sleep was just an afterthought. When he came in Clair was pouring over her desk.

She wore a black cape with an orb at the base of her neck. She wore light blue heeled boots and similar gloves. She wore a blue top and black trousers tucked over her boots, "What did you want to discuss?" she asked distractedly, still concentrating on her map.

"I was wondering about Will, and Koga." he added to avoid suspicion.

Clair's tone lightened, "Why them?"

"I woke up and met Blue at the memorial last night. I was wondering why their names were boxed."

Clair nodded, "Blue told me. Names are boxed if they were related to the league. Both Will and Koga were in the elite four while Professor Oak was Kanto's main researcher." she turned to face Steel but for once her eyes weren't intimidating or suspicious, "Blue told me you doubt our reasons for staying in the city." Steel's eyes widened. _What else did she know_!? he thought in a panic. "I assure you I'm only staying here for the safety of my citizens. If I went to confront Falkner he may kill me or get one of his 'Zephyrs' to do it for him. My death would accomplish nothing and we would have lost yet another champion. We all work for the city and for a strategy to let the other regions into Kahto."

Steel looked at her confused, "You mean they're _not_ afraid of Falkner?"

"Ha! I doubt they even know he's alive. He should have died in the floods."

"Then why haven't they come already?"

Clair clenched her fists and hit the punching bag furiously, startling Steel before returning like it hadn't happened, "That witch Winonna! Not only did she know of the incoming disasters she made sure we were trapped like rattatas. She created an everstorm surrounding Kahto."

Steel was almost afraid to ask considering how worn the punching bag looked, "What's an everstorm?"

Clair ran a hand through her blue hair, "It's a _legendary_ ability of flying type Pokémon to create a storm that cannot be dispersed and cannot be crossed. Everyone inside Kahto are trapped with a sociopath and can't get any outside help."

Steel was horrified. He didn't know what was worse, stranding thousands on a dangerous region with tremendous floods and earthquakes or being a murderer. At least Falkner was insane.

"Surely there's a way…"

"Of course. All we need are some flying type legendries."

Her tone sounded like a minefield, "Do we have any of those?" he asked nervously and to his surprise she nodded.

"But they were attacked when they were last summoned so we can rule them out. That's why Blue's been working on communications. We need a way to reach the other regions."

Steel fell silent. His mind wandered to that morning with Blue and the memorial. He looked to the profile on the wall, "Did Blue tell you who I added?" Steel's voice had become quiet, the sadness inching back. Clair nodded, turning back to her map, "Do you know _why_ he did that? They were innocent, what could they have done?"

Clair glanced to the profile, "There are three people in this world he hates more than anyone. The three people who caused his downfall; Whitney, Janine and Professor Oak. He wants them dead more than anything else but Oak died in the earthquakes so I suspect he thought that he could at least make his colleague suffer."

"B-but Will and the others weren't connected to them. Why did he kill them?"

"Will was a part of the league that imprisoned him and Red was murdered for simply being there. He doesn't need reason to kill anyone anymore."

"Except for Koga."

Steel jumped at the sound of this new voice. He looked around the room but saw no-one. He looked behind him and when he turned back to Clair there was another woman. Janine!

Not much of face could be seen under her mask but what Steel could see expressed sadness, "He wanted me to feel his pain of losing a father. He wants us _all_ to feel his pain." her voice was so meek and now Steel knew why.

Clair turned back to Steel, "We lost a lot of our original elite four during the war but we chose to create a new one to handle the city. I'm the champion but the elite consists of Karen, Bruno, Blue and Janine. Our jobs are to guard the city and try find a way to either get rid of the everstorm or contact the other regions. I was discussing the new information you brought to light with Janine when you came in."

Something was scuffling outside the door and every eyes looked to it. Steel quickly stepped out of the way of Clair as she approached the door while Janine shot onto the ceiling. She picked something up from the outside and paused outside the threshold with her back to Steel.

"It's a message from Karen. She wants to speak to you, Steel." Clair's voice sounded odd but Steel couldn't distinguish the tone, "Her room is 111." Clair held the door open for him and he nodded a thanks to both of them before running off in her room's direction.

He was rather annoyed that he hadn't seen Copper since she'd woken him up but wasn't worrying. He knew she was very capable and would be fine as long as she had her Pokémon with her.

Room 111 was a corner room but Steel didn't look into that too much. There were too many corner rooms to count but he couldn't understand why she would want to meet him. He didn't even know who she was. He entered her room and found Karen sitting on her bed, waiting for him. He saw angrily that she was the rude silver haired woman.

He was surprised to find her room was almost as plain as his was. The only difference he could notice at a glance were the framed pictures on her desk. One was lying face down while the other two stayed clear. They both had her in the shot but she was much younger and who she was with changed. One was of her and her Pokémon while the other was with her and an unusual looking young man dressed like some kind of harlequin.

"Hello Steel." she said and he crossed his arms.

"Why did you ask me to come here?" Steel asked.

Karen raised an eyebrow, "You fought your way across Johto starting with only a totodile and you didn't expect me to congratulate you?"

"Well at least you listened."

"I did. That's why I wanted to meet your friend. I love dark types and I didn't want her to fear them any longer."

Steel looked at her confusedly, "How can you just erase a fear so quickly?"

"Dark types are wild and tough but that's what makes them beautiful. I simply opened her eyes."

Steel wasn't convinced, "You still didn't answer my question. Why did you want to meet me?"

Karen pursed her lips, "You don't recognise me. Do you?" Steel shook his head and she chuckled, "Thought not. I guess it was a bit of stretch. I don't quite know how to say this but...I'm your mother."

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><p><strong>*Canteen=Cafeteria<strong>

****Queue-Line**

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><p><strong>DUN DUN DUN! So Karen of the elite four is Steel's mother. It's be revealed later what this impacts but...yeah!<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review with any suggestions, comments or questions about the series! :D**


	28. Volume One Finale

Steel stepped back in shock, "What?" he didn't know what to say. He wanted to keep denying it but he didn't know why. Maybe because all he wanted was his father but then he remembered. He remembered that one letter his father had kept, and the name at the bottom. His questioning turned to anger, "Then why did you leave him! Dad was heartbroken when you left."

Karen looked away sadly, "I know, and I'm sorry for you both but I had no choice."

Steel caught the sincerity in her voice and his gaze lessened, "Why?"

Karen glanced meaningfully at his arm then she quickly met his eyes again, "I was getting bored."

Steel felt himself get unusually anger, "What!? You were bored!? What kind of excuse is that!?"

Karen realised that she'd poorly chosen her words, "I loved Ferro but it became hard not seeing my Pokémon for years at a time. I couldn't deal with it so I'd let them out but when I did...people got hurt."

Steel glanced self-consciously to his bandaged arm then back at Karen with renewed anger, "You did this!?"

"You were young and you wanted to follow me into one of the empty caves." she looked away and Steel followed her gaze to the picture of her and her Pokémon. "There was a cave-in and I had to use the Pokémon on hand to prevent damage but I didn't see you." something growled meekly in the corner and something walked into view from underneath Karen's bed.

It was a sleek and dangerous looking Pokémon with black fur and a forked tail. It had bright red eyes and a blood orange mussel and underbelly. Its curved silver horns and rib-like spikes along its back made it look straight out of the reverse world which didn't go very well with its almost shy body language.

Karen patted its head, "A houndoom's burn hurts forever." Steel should have felt furious, he had been ever since she'd said she was his mother, and now she was admitting to injuring him but in a way it was this moment of confession that made him start to believe. "I never wanted to leave you or your father but I was starting to realise I had no choice. I was dangerous." Karen met Steel's eyes, "I made your father promise not to tell you the truth about your arm. If you believed a Pokémon did that to you then you would have turned out just like everyone else in Mount Mortar and that's why I left. I always wanted you to love Pokémon just as much as I did and I can see from your journey that I made the right choice."

Steel looked up thoughtfully, processing the information and trying to connect it to what he'd heard last night. That voice was Karen's, he was sure of that now.

"Who's Will?" Steel asked, hoping to get a more detailed answer from that of Clair's.

Karen looked wistfully to the picture of her and the harlequin smiling, "He was my best friend and the best man at my wedding but he died before I came back to the city."

Steel crossed his arms, "So would he have been my godfather?" Steel asked, still not very confident with the idea of her being his mum.

Karen chuckled, "Goodness no. He was a wonderful person but I wouldn't have trusted him with my house keys, let alone my son. No, he would have been something like your uncle if Ferro didn't mind him coming over."

"What about that? How did you even meet my dad when he was a mareep farmer and you're..."

Karen chuckled again, "Opposites attract have probably never applied more than it did with Ferro and I. I met him as a researcher when he was studying dark types on behalf of Professor Elm. He helped me become Kahto's first dark type expert and we were good friends for years, to everyone's confusion, then after that we got married."

"Karen...How did you know I'd get here?"

Karen's eyes were that of a stantler facing an aracanine. She hesitated, thinking of what to say, but Steel repeated his question determinedly.

"Koga was probably the best of us. He was highly skilled as a trainer and a ninja but somehow he failed in apprehending Falkner and was killed. Will's murder affirmed to us that we couldn't go outside our safe houses, the city or in my case Mount Mortar, so Blue devised a way for us to get our citizens to the Indigo City safely. The bunker had always been underneath the plateau and Oak thought that it would be the ideal place to go if Hoenn tried any drastic measures. We all recorded messages on our pokégears and sent them away along with a Pokémon to protect them if they had none.

"Most people sent them right away before the threat of Falkner could spread but I wasn't there at the time. Once I arrived at the city and was told about the program I borrowed a Pokémon to use but waited until I knew you were twelve before I sent my weaville to deliver it."

Steel furrowed his eyebrows, "But I'm almost fifteen. What happened?"

"You didn't receive my pokégear. Your friend did but my weaville attacked her, accidently destroying my pokégear in the process."

"So that's where she got Lore," Steel summed up but then something more important came to his mind, "_That_'s why she's afraid of dark types!? Because of you!?"

Karen nodded sadly but sat upright, "That's what I needed to tell her." Steel expected her to look more regretful at causing a young girl to fear all dark types for years but Karen's face was strangely inexpressive.

"So how did I end up with Oak's pokégear?" Steel asked.

"I stole it. That's what you overheard last night."

"What!? You know?" Steel waited for Karen to start yelling at him but she did nothing of the sort.

"_I'm_ nearly never on night patrol personally. My Pokémon hide in the shadows and report back to me. I was well informed of your actions this morning but don't worry, Clair doesn't suspect you of anything but she was accusing me of stealing Oak's pokégear. She'd always suspected me but had no proof until you came along."

"How am I proof?" Steel wondered.

"It is Oak's pokégear on your wrist is it not? And I would be the only one in the city with a motive to send it to you. But I'm afraid that's why Blair called you a pawn of the league. Traditionally new trainers were given either a totodile, chikorita or a cyndaquil but nowadays you'd only get them from the league. Having one must have convinced people that you were working for us. I'm sorry." it felt like she was apologising for more than just making him a target but maybe that was just wishful thinking.

"What if _that_ had failed?"

Karen bit her lip, "Then I would have lost all hope along with every other league member in this city but it wouldn't have failed. I couldn't risk putting my own voice on the pokégear but I managed to find some sound clips of Professor Oak. It wouldn't have opened to anyone but a boy this time."

Steel remembered the question that had started this entire journey, '_Are you a boy or a girl?_'. He watched her walk up to her desk and picked up the fallen picture, "I understand you want more answers. You deserve them. I cannot give them all to you but I know some people who can."

"Who?"

"The elite. Clair, Bruno, Janine, Blue and I were at every end of the war. We should be able to give you most of the story but not now. I expect they'd all be busy at the moment but I'll make sure there's a meeting tonight. Copper should be with Janine and Blue in the training ground. It's east of here." she slid the picture out of the frame and carefully handed it to Steel. "Always know, I'm proud of you and we _will_ get Ferro here." she smiled and Steel left the room.

He strolled down the corridor, his mind buzzing to almost a crazy amount. Karen was his mother. _Was_ Karen his mother? He looked at the picture she'd given him as he walked. It was Karen and Ferro standing closely together. They looked younger but not drastically so and in Karen's arms there was a very young boy who couldn't have been more than one years old. To Steel all babies looked alike but Steel guessed who it was. It was proof.

He tucked the picture inside his jacket along with his pokéballs and continued. He tried to formulate what he'd say to Copper. _Karen had told Copper about it being her weaville but did she explain why it was there_? _Did she tell Copper before Steel_? He shook his head, trying to disperse the ridiculous thought.

Steel opened one of the doors and walked into the training grounds. It was a very large room with white lines painted on the floor that made out a shape similar to that of Morty's gym. There were only two people in the gym, Blue and Copper, but Copper had Jolie out along with Blue's arcanine and a fluttering four winged bat.

"...to knock it down wins. Go!" Blue yelled and two Pokémon immediately dashed off, Jolie vs. Arcanine.

"Quick attack!" Copper called and Jolie's speed increased, turning her into a blur but Blue was smirking slyly.

"Extreme speed!" he commanded and the arcanine reached almost invisible levels of speed. It slammed into one of the three targets with Jolie following soon after but Blue's face held no triumph. He looked to his side to the crobat then to Steel then he glanced up at the ceiling.

"It's Steel." he explained and Janine dropped down from the ceiling silently. Blue ran a hand down his ginger spikes and smirked, "Shame it was interrupted."

Janine's face was red underneath her mask. She bowed apologetically to Blue and Copper while not looking in Steel's direction. Arcanine and Jolie plodded back to their trainers while Crobat flew uncertainly around Janine.

"I'm sorry Copper and Blue."

Blue waved off her apology, "No need to apologise."

Steel found himself looking at Blue longer than necessary but fortunately he was looking away at Arcanine. The pokégear on his wrist felt as heavy as lead with guilt. He was grateful for being able to come to the city, get Brooke and meet Copper but now he was burdened with knowledge that he'd unwittingly stolen a chance meant for someone close to Blue.

"Steel?" Copper had noticed him staring.

Steel blinked rapidly and looked to her, "Never mind." his mind was internally struggling. He wanted to say something to Blue, apologising for Karen's actions, but he wasn't sure whether we wanted to just blurt out Karen's confession. "What are you guys doing here?"

Copper grinned, "I met Blue in the canteen who brought me here but Janine just so happened to be training. They helped me out a lot but then Blue and I got into an argument about which Pokémon is faster." Copper blew an orange strand of hair out her eyes poutily, "He didn't tell me Arcanine knew extreme speed."

Blue chuckled and shrugged, "You _did_ use quick attack."

"You never said we couldn't." she grumbled and Janine laughed sweetly before abruptly stopping.

"Were you just looking for Copper, Steel?" Janine asked quietly and Steel shook his head.

"Not quite. I'm glad you two are here." Steel's next sentence was guarded, "Karen asked me to tell you all about another meeting tonight."

Blue raised an eyebrow, "Did you work it out or did she have to spell it out for you?" his words were intentionally vague, waiting for Steel to come to his own conclusions.

Steel felt it was strange that so many people knew before he did. He nodded robotically, "She told me."

Copper frowned and looked at everyone with a confused expression on her face, "What are you all talking about?"

_So Karen hadn't told her_, Steel thought with an internal breath of relief, _At least she had _some_ decency_.

It still didn't feel _real_ saying it, "Karen's my mother." he explained to Copper and her eyes quickly widened before settling into a knowing expression.

"I can't believe I didn't guess. I mean, how many people with silver hair do you meet?"

"What's the meeting about?" Blue asked.

"I'd like to know more about how Kahto got to this state. I know there was a war between Kahto and Hoenn and that Falkner tried to summon the legendaries but that's pretty much it."

Blue and Janine were silent in thought. Janine nodded, "You deserve to know. Especially after all you did for us." she returned her crobat to a shuriken pokéball and darted out of the room.

Steel turned back to Blue, "Does she not like me?"

Blue was still looking at the door, "No. She's just shy with new people and the war's a difficult topic for her, more so than a lot of us." he returned his arcanine. "Though I definitely agree. You two deserve to know." he hesitated like he wasn't sure whether to say the next part, "It was our fault after all."

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><p><strong>Yes! Beat the two month point! Thank you guys so much for following, reviewing, favouriting and reading this but don't worry, if I take a break from this it won't be for long! :D<strong>

**So yes, this is the end to Volume One (the Johto journey) I will continue writing Pokémon Rust but the next thing I write will be in the past in Volume Two!**

**I really hope you enjoyed these 27 chapters of Steel and Copper but I also hope you'll enjoy the original characters as we delve into how the war started, what happened then and what happened after the war.**

**Please review with questions, queries, comments and suggestions for the series and I'll see how long I procrastinate for! :D**


	29. (V2) Chapter 1

**Hey guys! :D**

**I'm sorry this took so long but it was one of those dialogue heavy ones that's a b**** to write. Anyway, welcome to Volume Two! This will still be on the original Pokémon Rust story because though I'll write it in three parts I consider them all the same story.**

**Just as a heads up, Volume Two will be a bit different to One and Three because instead of a clear continuous story it'll be a bunch of different events throughout the sixteen years before Volume One but they'll be in chronological order.**

**Hope you enjoy! :D**

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><p>The sky was dreary and full of clouds over the usually cheerful Cianwood City. Chuck's bare feet were covered in wet sand and the ends of his red trousers were salty and sodden. The sandbags' weight was nothing to his but he'd been working since early that morning and the repetitiveness of the task was tiresome. There were people and Pokémon lining sandbags across the shore and Chuck was working the hardest out of all of them, it was his city after all.<p>

The winter storms had brought along flooding across the city and the water was now seeping into several houses. There had been no electricity in any building since that one case of electrocution but thankfully it hadn't been fatal. Chuck thought that it had been pretty bad so far but he knew that it could've been much worse if there hadn't been a mountain to the west of the town blocking out the majority of the harsh winds and waves.

A screech pierced the rhythmic sound of the ocean and every head turned to the sky. The source of the sound was large and metallic but alive. It was a bird-like Pokémon with large choppy crimson wings and a sharp looking face. It flew in low circles above the island and Chuck was looking at it with an annoyed expression, or more accurately at its trainer.

"Walker! What are you doing!?" he yelled to the skarmory and it swooped down. Its wings whipped up the ocean water and soaked Chuck's trousers even more. The skarmory's trainer jumped off its back, his one sided smirk was emphasised by the feather in between his teeth.

"Hey Chuck. What's going on?" Walker readjusted the goggles atop his blonde hair and he looked around Cianwood and the several walls of sandbags lined up against the beach.

Chuck rolled his eyes at his old friend, "I'm surprised you stopped flying for long enough to notice."

Walker chuckled and put his arm around Chuck much to the gym leader's annoyance, "In a perfect world I'd fly forever but a guy's gotta land sometime."

"You gonna help or are you going to get back on Skarmory?" Chuck asked gruffly.

Walker raised his hands in protest, "I'm here to help." Chuck unloaded one of the bags he was carrying onto Walker who followed his friend to one of the houses they were guarding from the water. "I hear Hoenn has it worse though. It has all those islands around it and the storm was centred right around there."

Chuck placed the sandbag in front of one of the wooden houses and went over to get another one from near the Pokémon centre, "Speaking of Hoenn, I've got a meeting over there today."

Walker placed his sandbag and reached for another, "I'm glad I don't have to deal with those anymore. What's it about?"

Chuck shrugged, "Don't know but I think it's a full league thing. I know Jasmine's going and so is Brawly and Watson, can't see much in common there."

Walker grinned, "If you see Falkner, say hi for me." he placed the bag down and blew part of his fringe out of his face, "How you're getting there? 'Cos Skarmory is ready."

Chuck laughed under his moustache, "I thought you were here to help."

Walker chuckled, "Hey I'll happily help an old friend especially if helping includes flying."

Chuck placed the final sandbag and looked to the sky then to Walker, "I know you'll want to go soon but I'll stay here for as long as I can. I don't want more of my people sleeping with tentacool around their feet."

Walker put his hands behind his head, "Is it that bad?"

"The tide's come in at the moment but last night we were all up to our knees in sea water. I don't want a repeat of that, thank you very much."

Walker walked up to Skarmory and jumped onto its back. "Do you want me to tell Jaz you'll be late?" he asked and Chuck nodded before returning to his work. Walker smirked and his skarmory cawed, raising its wings and readying itself for flight. "I'll be back in a few days. Tell me if anything interesting happens." the skarmory flapped its large metal wings, shooting into the sky with Walker fearlessly on its back. Chuck knew that no-one could guess when he'd be back, his friend had always been traveller, but it was always nice seeing Walker even if it was just for a short time at one of the worst times. Chuck returned back to the work and the monotonous atmosphere of the Cianwood beach that had replaced the relaxation there.

"Thank you!" Jasmine beamed. Walker was hovering outside the lighthouse and talking to her through the thin windows panes. Usually she would have fretted if someone else had done this but from the short time where they'd both been gym leaders she'd learned that he was too stubborn to listen to any warnings. Some people found it a 'cool' trait but Jasmine couldn't see past the danger he was in. _Thank goodness Falkner's more level headed than that_, she thought.

Walker's skarmory darted off and she sighed. _Poor Chuck_...Jasmine looked sadly south to where she could see Cianwood in the distance. She hadn't realised the storms had caused flooding there. Jasmine called out her own skarmory and bid farewell to Amphy, who she'd been looking after, before opening the sky light.

Skarmory nudged Jasmine affectionately with its metal beak, which hurt more than Jasmine let on, and flapped its wings enthusiastically but Jasmine hesitated. She'd never been a big fan of flying especially when she'd been a rock specialist but all the ships going to Hoenn had been cancelled due to the extreme weather so it was all up to her to organise transportation.

She mounted Skarmory and tightly held onto the metal feathers on her Pokémon's neck. She knew Skarmory would never let her fall off but she often found that hard to remember that when she was way up in the sky.

They flew through the sky light and Jasmine momentarily unclenched one of her hands to check which direction she had to go in. She directed her skarmory eastward to Hoenn and shot off. The journey wasn't so long for such a quick bird but that was still about an hour of straight flight.

Jasmine never quite understood why they called it 'Ever Grande City' since the only buildings on the island were the Pokémon centre and the Hoenn league and even then there was a massive mountain in between the two. She landed on the northern side of their victory road, the side with the league building, but was surprised to see the ground covered in a layer of water and mud. The cliffs of the island were tall and sheer. The fact that some waves had hit the land made Jasmine start realising how severe the weather must have been.

They landed in the mud and Jasmine looked worriedly down at the water and then to her pale blue dress and beautiful sandals. She sighed sadly before taking off her sandals and cautiously jumping off her Pokémon's back.

Her bare feet were instantly covered in dirty water and Jasmine cringed. She returned Skarmory and made her way on tip-toes to the building.

Someone was waiting at the doors for her. He was tall, well-built and wore orange tinted sunglasses resting on his blue hair.

"Good afternoon," she greeted and Brawly grinned back at her but Jasmine could see something was troubling him.

"Hey, you okay?" Jasmine nodded but a sudden breeze kicked up the dirty water and splashed the hem of her dress. Brawly opened the large doors, using a flat foot to stop the water getting inside, and Jasmine quickly stepped inside. Brawly slammed the door shut and brushed away the water with his orange and black surfing shoes.

"Is it like this _everywhere_?" Jasmine asked sadly while looking around the lobby.

The tiled floor was covered in streaks from the mops that leant against the two desks and the orange carpet was darker from damp. Every time Jasmine had been to the Hoenn league there'd been computers buzzing with cheery receptionists behind them but today Jasmine couldn't see them and the computers had been unplugged and stranded on the desks with their cables bunched up and away from any water. The lights were out and she could assume the electricity was too. She walked further into the lobby and wiped her feet on the dryer part of the carpet before putting her sandals back on.

"Yep. I could barely find time to get away from Dewford. It's pretty much underwater at the moment." Brawly replied, shaking the water from his shoes.

Jasmine frowned, "Then why are you here?"

He and Jasmine started moving towards the main corridor, "That's what this is all about. Me, Roxanne, Tate and Liza, Watson, Chuck, you and Norman coming along with the elites. We need outside help and dry, safe places for those who're injured."

Jasmine's eyes widened, "People were injured? Oh, of course I'll help."

Brawly grinned happily and held the meeting room door open for her. She nodded her head slightly in appreciation as she entered the room.

The room was painted white, large and mainly occupied by a very long table. One of the walls had windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling which must have been a lovely view on an ordinary day but all Jasmine saw were gloomy skies and a grey churning ocean. Most of the Hoenn trainers Brawly had mentioned were already sitting there along with Jasmine's local elite four and Lance. She smiled at each one as she grabbed her seat one away from Will but very few returned it.

Watson smiled back along with Tate and Liza. Will was leaning back at a dangerous angle and smirking but everyone else looked grimly serious.

"Great, so now all we're waiting for is Steven, Winona, Wallace and Chuck." said Brawly as he sat down next to a particularly frustrated Roxanne.

Jasmine suddenly remembered, "Chuck might be late. He's had to deal with some problems in Cianwood."

"That's a shame." the usually neat champion walked in with Winona and Wallace behind him. Steven's light blue hair was damp and Winona kept adjusting her winged helmet but Wallace looked like he always did. Steven sat at the head of the table and Lance looked displeased at having to sit to his side rather than a seat of power like he was used to, "I was hoping everyone would be here by now."

The door swung open and Chuck walked in, everything about him from his brown hair and moustache to his ragged trousers were wet and windswept from flying here. He sat next to Jasmine and Steven straightened up in his seat.

"Now that we're all here we can finally begin this meeting." Steven said, "As you probably know by now Hoenn has had a lot of severe flooding from the winter storms and we need outside help to move the injured."

"Can't you move them to other parts in Hoenn?" Karen asked.

"We've already moved as many as we could but there are few unflooded areas to move them to. Our people are scattered and it would be an almost impossible task to have them evacuated with only our resources especially since all the cities nearby the island ones are flooded too." Winona explained.

"Is that why Chuck and I are here?" said Jasmine, "Because Olivine and Cianwood are the closest to Hoenn?"

Steven nodded, "The majority of the flooding is in the south east and it would take too much effort to move them across Hoenn and to one of the other regions."

Jasmine grinned, "I'd love to help. I'm sure I could find plenty of places in Olivine. But my city might not be able to take too many." she added sadly but then her smile returned, "But I'm sure Morty would love to help them too!" Phoebe smiled thankfully then looked to Chuck, who crossed his arms.

"Cianwood's too small." he said bluntly. Jasmine looked to him with pleading eyes but he didn't unfold his arms, "It's not my fault they built towns in flood zones." he said scathingly and Jasmine gasped, scandalised. She turned to the elite four and Lance.

"It's a fact that Cianwood's too small to host more than its current population." Karen stated.

"Your cities may be too small but ours are underwater! Pacifilog town was completely destroyed !" Roxanne shouted, standing up angrily.

"Roxanne," Steven's tone was calm but Roxanne knew an order when she heard one. She sat back down but continued glaring at Chuck, "It'll be fine once they realise…" Steven flinched and a vein in Chuck's forehead pulsed.

"Realise what!?" Chuck demanded but Steven didn't speak, fearful about how his words would be interpreted, "I'm not gonna just _back down_. Cianwood is an island that's having enough problems as it is without having more dumped on it!" he stood up and stormed out of the room, slamming the door on his way out and sent a shocked silence crashing down on the others.

"He's right you know." Will said, breaking the frigid silence but piling on more tension. Lance glared at him with gritted teeth, trying to get him to shut up, but Will either didn't catch on or didn't care, "I mean Cianwood's nowhere near big enough for more people. It would be like trying to get an eggsecutor into an eggsecute costume." Karen joined Lance in glaring at Will and he finally stopped talking.

"You can send some to Olivine. I'll try help as many as I can and I'm sure Morty would help too." Jasmine offered.

Steven pulled himself away from staring at the door, "Thank you. But we can't make any decisions until we consult Morty."

Jasmine flipped open her pokégear, "I'll see about Morty."

Steven held up a hand to stop her, "No, we'll reconvene tomorrow. A lot of citizens need our aid and we've spared all the time we could."

Jasmine nodded in understanding, "I'll tell Morty."

And with that everyone started to get up and leave the room. Jasmine was glad to be helping but she felt her head flickering to where Chuck had stormed out.

* * *

><p><strong>EDIT: I thought the meeting was too fast paced so I had to re-write it :P<strong>

**And thus starts the downwards spiral of problems.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review with any comments, questions or suggestions for the story. I want this to be the best fic it can be! :D**


	30. (V2) Chapter 2

Jasmine was just escorting the last people off the ship when Morty showed up. He'd answered her call the day before and had rushed to Hoenn to sort things out immediately just as she'd expected which might have been for the best since Jasmine probably couldn't have handled someone else refusing to help such poor souls.

The moment she'd seen the victims her heart had melted and she'd sworn to help then even though that had meant admitting she couldn't help them all. Overcrowding Olivine City would have done nothing useful so she'd been glad when Morty had agreed to take some in as well.

Jasmine jogged up to Morty with an appreciative smile on her face. He was on the shore and facing the ocean and was waiting for her.

"Thanks Morty," she called as she gracefully walked over to him.

"No problem. I'm always happy to lend a hand to those who need it." he smiled warmly.

Jasmine looked sadly back to her city where they were preparing houses for those who'd lost theirs, "Poor them. All their homes are underwater and we don't know when they can return."

"Don't worry about it. With people like you helping out they'll sort this out. I mean, it's not like it's the worst thing that's happened to them."

Jasmine remembered what had happened five years ago with Groudon and Kyogre. If it wasn't for Brendan there might not have been a Hoenn to flood. Jasmine shook her head, not wanting to think of such awful things.

"It's great that you're helping. Olivine can only hold so many." she admitted.

Morty frowned, "Are you okay?" he asked and Jasmine realised she'd been looking to the sea, looking to Cianwood, distractedly.

She forced herself to look back to Morty and smile, "_I_'m fine but I can't believe...I just didn't see it coming. But I bet _you_ did."

Morty folded his arms thoughtfully, "If I did I would have warned you."

Jasmine realised her attempt at lightening the mood had backfired so she changed the subject, "Should we go over and help him? Walker mentioned him having problems."

Morty shook his head, "I don't think that would be wise. Chuck can get pretty fired up; we should probably just let him be."

"It must be bad for him to yell at the Hoenn gym leaders like that. After spending all day trying to help people they had to endure that."

Morty nodded and opened his mouth like he was about to say something but then closed it as he clenched his eyes shut. "Morty?" Jasmine asked and he opened his eyes. They were momentarily unfocused until he stopped and focused on the island in the distance.

"Where is that ship going?" he asked worriedly and Jasmine followed his gaze, her eyes widened in fear.

* * *

><p>"It must have been a mistake!" Steven cried. He was eyeing Chuck's clenched fists nervously.<p>

"Sure," Chuck scoffed, "I'm gonna break your face, pretty boy!" he growled and before anyone could intervene Chuck threw all of his bulk into a punch aimed at Steven. Steven was thrown to the floor and everyone dived at Chuck.

Bruno and Koga were holding him back while Phoebe knelt next to Steven who was wincing and holding his head painfully.

Sidney and Drake advanced, "What the hell was that!?"Sidney yelled but Chuck was fuming.

"How _dare_ you insult us this way!" Glacia spat and Lance stepped between the two groups.

"Stop this. Stop before you do something you'll regret." he ordered, addressing both sides.

"This is why leadership shouldn't depend on battling." Phoebe muttered while helping Steven to his feet.

Lance met Steven's eyes and saw nothing but cold steel, "Steven…" he began but Steven interrupted, he shook off Phoebe who looked at the two champions nervously.

"No! This is last straw Lance! After promising to help us all you've done is resist! Hoenn is _done_ with Johto _and_ the Indigo League!"

Lance looked taken aback, his mind told him to bridge the rapidly growing divide but his pride was bruised, "You didn't follow the rules set out." Lance said defensively, "Violence wasn't the way but…" once again he was interrupted by Steven but this time it was by him throwing a pokéballs. He was glaring at the Indigo league elite four as a side of his face blackened.

"You don't want to fight me Steven." Lance warned but Steven's metagross was growling alongside its trainer.

Phoebe reached forwards and grabbed Steven's shoulder, "Don't!" she pleaded but Steven was livid.

He clenched his fists and resisted the urge to raise his hands to his face which was beginning to pain quite severely, "_Never_ cross Hoenn again or you'll face the wrath of our region!" A mismagius drifted from behind Phoebe as Steven called back Metagross. They flashed quickly before vanishing and leaving Sidney, Drake and Glacia behind.

Glacia and Drake turned their backs on the other elite and walked through the doors but Sidney paused. He glared at Chuck with loathing and sneered, "Cianwood will be ours." he threatened before walking off to join his colleagues.

Lance, Karen, Koga, Bruno and Will were left alone with Chuck. The air was so full of anger it felt like the room itself would explode. There was a silence but it was filled with anger. Karen was shooting daggers at Chuck while Will's emotions were hard to read underneath his mask. Lance and Koga were grudgingly accepting their lack of bulk but Bruno tightened his grip on Chuck's shoulder. Koga wisely stepped away while Bruno brought his free fist up and drove it into Chuck's face. Chuck withstood it but he clenched his eyes in pain. He looked away.

"What the hell was that!?" Bruno bellowed.

"You damn prideful bastard!" Lance yelled.

"Why didn't you leave that to us!?" Koga demanded. Their eyes were glaring at the unmoving but furious gym leader but their heads turned to Will's mirthless laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Koga asked angrily.

Will was laughing but under his mask, where no-one could see, his eyes showed true terror, "You've gone and done it now!"

"Done what?" asked Lance.

"Like it or not…" Will chuckled.

Karen looked away, "We're at war." she finished.

* * *

><p>Phoebe had teleported them further into the building and once the pressure of the meeting room had been lifted he immediately went to lean on one of the tables. Steven put his head in his hand and thought, going over what had just happened in his mind. The right side of his face was really starting to hurt now and the memories weren't helping.<p>

Phoebe wasn't talking. She was shocked too but more at Steven. This was not what they needed now of all times and as a leader he'd just failed that. Kahto had been a valuable partner and in one moment of rage he'd thrown that away.

He slammed his fist down on the table and Phoebe yelped. Steven looked over to her and straightened up. He breathed rhythmically to calm himself down and started going through what had happened with Lance.

Steven knew that it would be too difficult to resume a partnership with the Indigo Plateau. It would be as difficult as unburning a bridge. He didn't hate them but he knew that every single one of them had a large pride which often got in the way of things. They were fierce and respectable trainers but as leaders…_Maybe Phoebe was right_...he thought like a nonverbal mutter.

Phoebe went up from behind Steven and he looked away, ashamed. She was handing him an ice pack. He took it gratefully and realised where she'd teleported them to. They were in the infirmary.

"Thank you."

Phoebe looked at him with confused eyes, "This isn't something that's going to blow over is it?" To answer her question the door burst open. Glacia and Drake walked in and they both looked livid.

"I can't believe that _brute_ would call himself a gym leader." Glacia and Drake seemed to have been insulting the Indigo Elite as they'd searched for their champion.

"How did you find us so soon?" Phoebe asked. She wanted to sound curious but everyone there could hear slight annoyance.

"You wouldn't have let Steven be." Drake explained, "It was either here or back at the fields but I expect you'd want to help him as soon as possible. We can't have our Champion walking around with a black eye."

Steven breathed deeply to remain calm, "I want you two to return to Slateport and Lillycove city. There are still homeless people with no dry shelter and I expect there'll be more rain tonight."

"You expect us to _ignore_ such an attack?" Glacia asked and Steven stood up determinedly.

"This is no time to battle over bruised egos. I will not allow Chuck to get away with assault but now is not the time. We have displaced and injured citizens to deal with."

Drake raised a hand to his hat and looked away, "That may not possible Steven."

"What do you mean?" Steven asked, concealing his fear with an inexpressive mask.

"He refused to let them think they'd in any sense won." Glacia said, "So he threatened Cianwood."

Steven didn't know how to react. He hadn't been vainly expected matters to 'blow over', he'd known their elite four for too long, but he'd hoped for Lance to mutually accept that Kahto and Hoenn couldn't fight without disastrous consequences but after someone from Hoenn had threatened Johto…

"Lance would never idly sit by as Cianwood was attacked." Steven said.

"You don't expect us to apologise, do you?" Glacia asked indignantly.

Sidney walked into the infirmary at that moment, "Apologise? I didn't realise you would even consider rolling over."

"No." all the options ran through Steven's mind but he had to admit to something. As the pain grew so did his resolve, "We're not going to apologise but I'm afraid we may have now burned that bridge."

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review if you have any comments, questions or suggestions for the series! :D<strong>


	31. (V2) Chapter 3

The gears in Lance's mind had been spinning furiously ever since Sidney had threatened Cianwood City. Lance was a great leader, he was good at spotting people's strengths and incorporating them with others, but it was the whole 'negotiations' part of his job that he was bad at. Lance's mind strayed too often to battle and in cases like he this he found himself stuck.

Chuck had assaulted Steven and Steven had rightfully got angry but it was Sidney that had changed a situation which they could have talked out into one where the two champions were backed into corners.

Lance was reaching for the room's door knob when he paused, "Why are you here?"

Jasmine stepped forwards and was looking at Lance with a determined expression, "I'm here to try talk you out of doing anything too rash. This can still be resolved peacefully."

"I'd like to believe you," Lance said honestly, "But I can't simply stand by as a city is threatened. If Olivine was attacked you'd want help." Lance opened the door, "If you have any ideas I'm all ears." Jasmine followed him into the room and began rattling off suggestions but Lance kept rebuking them with an increasing gloom.

"Can you get Chuck to apologise?"

"He's not backing down."

"It could have been a hollow threat."

"It could not be."

"Can't we talk to Steven?"

"He's refusing contact." Lance sighed and sat down. There was a large screen on the wall facing his chair but at the moment all it showed was a black screen, "Jasmine, you can try to contact the Hoenn elite, they might listen to you, but for now I need you to leave."

Jasmine nodded and exited the room, almost immediately after pulling out her pokégear. Lance watched her leave before turning to the screen and turning it on. Professor Oak's image flashed onto the screen.

"What did Birch say? Is Steven taking offensive action?"

Oak mouth was open but wordless for a moment before he started talking, "Professor Birch told me the Hoenn league isn't likely to back down. He says that unless Kahto does something soon they'll have no choice but to fight."

This was the answer Lance had been dreading, "How are we supposed to do that when Steven is refusing contact? I've asked Jasmine to try get through to him but I doubt it will work."

"Are you sure Chuck won't do something?"

Lance shook his head, "He told me himself that he will not let Cianwood be taken, even if it means a war."

Back in Professor Oak's lab, one of the other screens he kept on his desk sparked to life and revealed a picture of Birch.

All of Birch's words were indecipherable to Lance but once the Hoenn professor was finished Oak relayed his words to Lance with a worriedly shocked face.

"It seems that Drake, Glacia and Sidney are indeed calling for war."

Lance's eyes widened, "That can't be serious. Their region is flooded and Kahto combined is a much larger force than Hoenn. Why do they think they can fight us?"

"Birch doesn't know many details himself. All he knows is that the elite is furious and are giving the Indigo league two options, to apologise or face them."

Lance's face fell. This had descended too quickly into a matter of prides and he knew that it was one Chuck would not give up. He also knew most of the Kahto gym leaders would consider apologising a sign of defeat.

Lance turned his chair around to focus on the small window, not wanting to look at Oak at that moment, "I suppose we have no choice but to ready ourselves."

Oak couldn't believe what he was hearing, "What in the world do you mean? You're risking your region _and_ Hoenn just because you won't apologise?"

Lance spoke defensively, "I know Chuck won't back down. We must be ready to counter any type of attack in case Hoenn _does_ attack."

Oak was still incredulous, "But..."

"Just remember that Chuck was Blue's teacher. He won't run." Lance turned around quickly so he didn't have to face Oak before turning off the screen. He sat there was a silent moment. What had he done?

He stood up and went to open the door but found it was already opening. Clair halted outside the door, her hand on the door and looking down the corridor.

She looked at Lance, "Is what Will said true?"

Anger crept into Lance's voice, "What did he say?"

Clair straightened up and put her hands on her hips, "He told us that we were at war with Hoenn." she waited for Lance to deny it but when he didn't she started glaring at her cousin. "You did what!?" she yelled, "You and the other four went to Hoenn just to discuss flooding and you came back with a war!?"

Lance clenched his fists, "Steven didn't follow the rules Chuck set up and then Sidney threatened Cianwood City."

"Why would Sidney do that? Hoenn would have no chance against two regions especially since they've just had flooding." her tone was knowing and Lance realised that Will had told them much more than Lance would have liked.

"How much _did_ Will say?" he asked with the tone of defeat he only let show when he was with Clair.

"Blue and I were both in the league when Will burst in, talking about how Chuck _punched_ Steven and Sidney declared war. Was he telling the truth?"

Lance barely managed to stop himself punching the wall, "Why in _hell_ did he do that!?"

Clair shrugged, "Only Karen knows what goes on in his mind but what I want to know is what you're going to do about it."

"We have to prepare and ready ourselves in case Hoenn _does_ attack us. We will not make the first move."

Clair nodded, "I'll see if the other gym leaders will join us." she walked out and left Lance once again alone. He called out his dragonite and greeted it briefly before stalking off to find Will which shouldn't have been hard considering stealth, or for that matter discretion, was a foreign term to him.

* * *

><p>The gym leaders of Johto and Kanto were all sitting around one table in the Indigo Plateau, all but Jasmine, Morty, Bugsy and Erika. They were a very odd looking group whose outfits ranged from a kimono to a harlequin's to a ninja's. Lance was trying not to get angry at a few of the people there, namely Chuck and Will.<p>

"As you probably know by now Hoenn has made a threat against Cianwood City," Lance began, "And Oak has informed me that they do intend to make an attack." Lance didn't feel the need to mention the condition when Chuck would outright refuse and at least nine of the gym leaders there would be outraged at the thought, "Under no circumstances are we to attack them but if _they_ attack we must be ready."

"There _is_ a way we could win before the fighting starts." Sabrina said slyly.

"What? How?" Lance asked and she smirked.

Sabrina leant on the table and waved her hand in the direction of the Johto map that decorated the table along with maps of Kanto, Hoenn, Unova, Sinnoh and Kalos. "We just so happen to have citizens of Hoenn amongst us. It seems that they're awfully close to Cianwood." she mused, allowing the others to fill in the gaps.

"What!? You can't be serious!" Misty cried.

Sabrina's tone was monotonous but in the way that made her sound constantly scheming, "Serious about what? I'm merely suggesting possibilities for those who clearly do not wish for battle." her words were pointed at Misty who gritted her teeth.

"They've done nothing yet. We can't just threaten innocent people." Lance said, "And there's no chance Morty or Jasmine would stand for that. They both said that they won't get involved in any conflict so we don't have that kind of leverage."

"All we need is a warning." Pryce explained, "We know that we're stronger than Hoenn, especially after their region has been so devastated, so there's a chance they won't even attempt an attack but if we set up a watch on the area between us then we can be prepared."

Falkner raised his hand off the table, "I can do that."

Lance shook his head, "I don't think Violet City should lose its gym leader. We can't worry the citizens over what may be nothing." he looked to Bruno, Karen, Will and Koga.

"I will take the first watch." Koga volunteered.

"We can't tell anyone else about this." Clair's gaze was fixed angrily on Will, "It'll just spread panic." she looked to Falkner and Whitney, "It's obvious why Jasmine, Morty and Erika aren't here but do you know why Bugsy's absent."

Whitney shrugged, "He probably left his pokégear at home while he's off looking for bugs. I don't know where he is and I didn't ask."

Falkner chuckled, "Either that or he's down the ruins of Alph."

Clair rolled her eyes, "Just find him. We need to gauge how much support we'd have if it came to fighting."

Brock spoke up, "About that. What if it does come to that? What will we do?"

"We'll defend ourselves." Lance said simply, "Some of us would have to protect the area between Hoenn and Johto to try and stop any attack before it reaches Cianwood but we'd need people to protect Johto if that fails."

"I can fight against them." Chuck said.

"But it's not like I'll let them gang up on you." smirked Surge.

Blue nodded, "I'll fight if they attack."

"But we'll need to be in more places like that." Everyone looked to Surge with confused faces, "On its own Johto wouldn't have had a chance against Hoenn. No offense." he added insincerely when he saw Clair glaring at him, "But Hoenn knows it's outmatched against Kahto so it'll need to hit strong and fast." he pointed the Indigo Plateau's location on the Kahto map, "They'll almost definitely attack the Indigo league and as a bonus they'd be possibly cutting off any help from Kanto."

Lance looked at the Hoenn map thoughtfully, "Pryce, Sabrina and Brock should go to the league if an attack from Hoenn is predicted. That way we'd be protected from explosive, energy or physical projectiles."

"Do you really not trust the plateau's present defences?" Sabrina asked.

"I hope we need not use them." Lance said honestly.

* * *

><p>Despite the ice pack one side of Steven's face had become a large bruise. He was torn with indecision and found he was being silent while the Hoenn elite argued against Phoebe.<p>

"If we don't do something they're gonna attack us!" Sidney yelled.

"They wouldn't do something like that! They don't want war as much as we do!" Phoebe protested crossly, she couldn't believe the elite would be so blind.

"They have our people. We need to rescue them before they're used against us." Glacia said.

"No." Steven said, "Jasmine said that she and Morty would protect our citizens and wouldn't participate."

"You spoke to Jasmine? What happened to 'Never cross Hoenn again or you'll face the wrath of our region'?" asked Winona and Steven clenched his teeth.

"She wanted to tell me something very important. Lance is readying the Indigo League for war and is being informed about our actions from Professor Birch."

Norman raised an eyebrow, "How's that possible? He hasn't been to his lab so he couldn't contact Kahto."

"Apparently Oak has been relaying the information."

"They're just trying to negotiate a peaceful solution. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT!?" Flannery's second sentence was much louder as if she thought her first was too passive sounding.

"The problem is that they _weren't_ trying to end this. They were using this to plan." Steven's voice sounded tired.

"Speaking of planning, we should start." said Roxanne.

"How can you just accept this?" Phoebe asked incredulously.

Roxanne raised her hands defensively, "I agree the situations aren't ideal but have you heard the phrase 'You might as well win'?" Roxanne ignored Phoebe's shocked face, "There's no way we can attack Johto without Kanto getting involved so that means we're outnumbered about nineteen to ten if you don't count Morty, Jasmine, Watson, Brawly, Tate or Liza. Since Fortree City is one of the only untouched cities and air travel is the quickest I suggest Winona leads the attack. It's a shame that Tate and Liza aren't here though."

"We don't _need_ type advantages. If anyone should know that it's me." said Norman.

"It's still good to have." she explained, "And since we're that outnumbered I think we should attack hard and fast here." Roxanne pointed to the league and looked expectantly at Flannery, "You should be able to manage that."

The expression on Flannery's face clearly showed she didn't want to but Flannery nodded anyway. Normally the league would have talked to her and encouraged her not to put on the façade but they had larger problems than her confidence to discuss.

Steven was silent while the others talked. His fingers were laced and his face appeared thoughtful but inside he was such a mass of emotions he couldn't even decipher how he felt. Well, not quite. He could understand one thing, he felt utterly hopeless.

* * *

><p>Oak had his head in his hands while he told the other professors about what Lance had said and what he was planning to do.<p>

"He'd really risk war?" Professor Elm asked worriedly and Oak nodded.

"What are _we_ going to do?" Sycamore wondered.

"We can't join for obvious reasons. I'm sorry Samuel but the other regions will have to be neutral in this conflict." said Rowan.

Birch opened his mouth to protest but he sighed in resignation, "Right…You can't interfere without taking sides. Sinnoh's on good terms with Johto but then again Kalos and Hoenn have always been partners…"

"We can't do anything except negotiate to stop it." Juniper summed up.

"But Lance pretty much declared war!" Oak protested.

"So it's up to us three to try talk sense into the leagues?" Birch asked and Juniper nodded sadly.

"Even if _we_ do anything it could be seen as favouritism and I don't think Iris, Calem or Cynthia would like that."

"I'll see if I can…" Birch spotted his lab's door opening and hurriedly turned off the screens. He got out of his chair and found Norman walking in. His footsteps echoed loudly in the almost empty lab and Norman seemed to have something troubling him.

"Hello," Birch greeted anxiously.

Norman crossed his arms and sighed, "Did you tell Oak about what our league's planning?" he asked, trying to get this over with.

"What?" Birch was surprised by his old friend's sudden interrogation, "Why?"

Norman didn't meet the professor's eyes, "Jasmine told Steven that you had and just wants to know what side you're on."

"'Side'? There aren't any sides yet. I just want to avoid a war."

"It's too late for that." Birch's eyes unconsciously flickered to the screens, thinking he had to warn Elm and Oak. Norman furrowed his eyebrows, "That's what he means. Nothing will be accomplished if Kahto knows all our plans." Norman forced himself to turn and walk out, "You can't contact the other regions." he said finitely.

Norman walked outside with a heavy heart while Birch battled with himself inside his lab. He had to warn the Indigo League. The way Norman had phrased everything made him sure that Hoenn were planning to attack soon but he realised how serious Norman had been. They'd been friends for years and he knew that by betraying Hoenn he'd also be betraying him. Even though Norman used to live in Johto he seemed to hold no loyalty and was going to fight.

Birch made up his mind. With robotic and halting movements he moved his hands towards his computer's keyboard and typed a short message.

_This is my final message. Steven doesn't want me contacting you. Heads up._

* * *

><p><strong>It was a choice between Norman or Oak. Whether he made the right one is up to your opinion. <strong>**War has been declared and thus begins the long one and a bit years of fighting.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review! :D**


	32. (V2) Chapter 4

The image of Birch abruptly turned to black and his sound was cut off. Oak's hand sped to his keyboard, searching for whatever problem made the Hoenn researcher disappear.

"Birch?" Oak called as he typed rapidly. He saw the other professors looking confused as well.

"He's gone on my side too." Juniper affirmed and their others voiced how it was the same on their ends.

"Does anyone know what just happened?" Rowan asked.

Sycamore stroked his chin, "I think I heard something off screen. Maybe someone came in and he didn't want them to hear?" Juniper furrowed her eyebrows and continued typing something while the others kept wondering what had happened.

They saw Oak pause. The message from Birch had just come through on his computer. They all waited the short moment it took for Oak to read the e-mail but then he shot out of his chair.

"What is it?" Elm asked nervously.

"You have to warn the league!" Oak cried.

"W-what?" Elm took out his pokégear but paused, "What am I warning them?" he knew but he hoped it would be something else.

"I just received a message from Birch and-and…"

"What is it man!?" Rowan demanded.

"It says he cannot contact us anymore and that Hoenn's going to attack!"

Elm almost fell back in his chair, "I'll tell them immediately!" Elm's screen turned to black and Oak turned to the screens but stopped halfway. His face fell as he realised that the only professor who could help him now was Professor Elm.

"G-good luck." Juniper said. It didn't feel like enough but it was all she could think of. The screen's simultaneously turned off and Oak grabbed his pokégear. He knew he was trapped from there on. Lance's meaning had been perfectly clear to Oak. Blue wouldn't run and wouldn't abandon the war. Since neither Daisy nor Oak could abandon Blue they were both trapped.

* * *

><p>Even in Lance's nightmares that day hadn't come that quickly. The wind howled in his ears and blew his black and red cape fiercely. Elm had warned them about an incoming attack only a few hours before Karen reported seeing activity across the ocean.<p>

Lance, Karen and Clair were hovering above the sea. The tension was so thick that they felt like they were choking and the ball of regret inside Lance was growing to an painful degree like when you're on the incline of a rollercoaster.

Clair was to his side on her dragonite. Her face was grim and determined but she looked to her cousin and smirked assuringly. Lance didn't return it but nodded, he didn't understand how to any kind of positive spin on this.

_If only Steven had ended this while he had the chance_, Lance clenched his teeth together angrily. He knew that Kahto would win but that wasn't his worry, it was how much Hoenn would have to go through before it surrendered and now Birch was forbidden from talking to Oak all their attacks were going to be surprises.

Lance cleared his mind so he could focus on his mission, to stop them from getting to Cianwood. He breathed deeply but found that hard to do. The wind was picking up and the air was blasting his face. But a shout managed to make its way to Lance's ears.

Something was shooting towards them everyone braced, "Draco meteor!" Lance commanded and his dragonite roared. A ball of energy shot into the clouds above and from then on it was a pandemonium.

The swellow in the distance was dodging the raining meteors but while it was distracted Lance shot ahead. Lance held onto his dragonite as extreme speed sent it rocketing into the battle and Lance saw Winona having to do the same thing when her swellow fell out of the sky. It had taken a direct hit from extreme speed and was now spiralling towards the water.

"Ice punch!" Lance yelled and they flew downwards too. Dragonite pulled back its icy fist and sent swellow crashing into the sea but without its trainer. Lance looked behind him and saw an ice beam being shot at them. Dragonite spun around and caught the ice beam with his fire punch. Lance sighed in relief, he was a champion against a mere gym leader defeat should be easy, but then he remembered his mission.

He looked around to check for any more Hoenn trainers but when his head was turned Winona attacked again. An air slash crashed into Dragonite's back and Lance flew off. He landed on his flygon's back and a gasp escaped his lips. That was not a trick we wanted the chance to repeat.

Winona was now on top of an altaria and trying to fly away. Lance urged his flygon to fly faster and catch up but Clair was already there. Her dragonite was emerged in flickering blue energy while she was standing on her salamence and it collided into Winona's altaria, knocking out yet another one of her Pokémon.

"Move!" Karen yelled and Clair flew out of the way while a blast of wind from Karen's honchkrow blew Sidney and his mandibuzz in the direction of the two dragon masters.

Clair's salamence hydro pumped mandibuzz and its trainer out of the air but Lance's flygon suddenly jerked upwards. Lance realised it had been hit and looked down to see Norman and his castform shooting attacks upwards at the flying Pokémon.

"Solar beam! Fire punch!" Lance's flygon began to glow as it collected energy while Dragonite flew at Norman. Dragonite was blown back by a sudden icy wind and seized up. It fell to the water encased in ice and Norman began surfing onwards with his linoone while his castform kept freezing the dragons.

Lance clenched his fists as solar beam missed the speeding linoone but saw Clair jump from her salamence into the ocean and break the surface atop her kingdra. Once it used agility Norman had no chance.

They were now ahead of Norman and he was forced to dive off his linoone as a dragon pulse came hurdling his way.

Sidney and Karen were still locked in a heated battle and Clair was taking care of Norman so Lance flew around the battles and searched for Winona. She and her pelipper were attacking the opposing flying Pokémon just above the waves.

Lance's flygon headed towards the gym leader but were spotted. Ice beams were shot in his direction but Flygon was a surprisingly agile for such a large Pokémon. He flew out of the ice's path and hit the pelipper with an ineffective u-turn while Lance leapt onto his dragonite.

Flygon flashed the red of returning to a pokéball and Lance's salamence appeared in its place, "Stone edge!" Lance commanded and rocks flew at Winona again. She gritted her teeth and Lance saw her take out a pokénav after flying out of reach.

He paused hopefully and Winona shot to where Norman and his castform were fighting Clair. Lance pursued her but dragonite wasn't fast enough to stop her from picking up Norman on the tropius she'd called out.

Clair, who'd been knocked back into the water by castform, swam to her kingdra and watched as the two shot off. The two gym leaders seemed to be retreating and the Kahto trainers dared to hope but then Sidney suddenly appeared.

Kingdra and Dragonite reared up in apprehension as Sidney's mandibuzz knocked their trainers off with a dark pulse. Lance and Clair crashed into the cold, salty water and Clair shouted a command angrily while rubbing the water off her face.

A mass of water erupted from her salamence's mouth and though Sidney's mandibuzz tried flying out of the way it did so haltingly and was hit anyway. Sidney's irises narrowed in fear as his mandiuzz flickered like a hologram and disappeared, revealing his zoroark. They plummeted to the ocean but another one of Winona's birds flew to his rescue.

"Ice shard!" Karen ordered and her weaville leapt into the air, pummelling the birds with sharp ice before being recalled again.

Sidney glared loathingly at the Kahto trainers before barking an order into his pokénav, unable to be heard above the winds. Winona flew in between the Kahto and Hoenn sides on her pelipper. Lance couldn't hear what attack she called out but the next thing he knew was Pelipper flapping its wings furiously and blowing the Kahto trainers away while they retreated.

"Come back and fight!" Clair yelled but Lance held out his arm to stop her and her salamence.

"Let them go. Maybe this will convince Steven he can't beat us."

Karen was already flying away but was speaking to Lance via pokégear, "I doubt this will convince them. It was two gym leaders and an elite versus a gym leader, elite and champion. They'll count this as an unfair victory."

Clair and Lance exchanged annoyed glances before Lance flew off, leaving Clair on watch while he contacted Bruno. He looked angrily in the direction of Hoenn as he talked. The first battle was their victory but Lance knew the war had just begun.

* * *

><p>Later that day Lance asked Koga, Janine, Karen and Misty to meet him at the Plateau. Misty looked around wondering what Lance wanted, I mean the trainers didn't have much in common.<p>

"Now Steven's not allowing Oak or Birch to contact each other there aren't much opportunities for predicting Hoenn's next moves. That's why I've called you four here. Our positions at the moment are entirely defensive so we'll need to take some offensive action. I want you four to go to Ever Grande City and keep us informed on Hoenn's plans."

Koga nodded, "I believe we could do that. I expect we'll need some sort of base in Hoenn so I recommend the Victory Road caves. They're large and dark which makes them perfect for undetection."

"Why do you want me to go?" Misty asked, "I'm not exactly known for stealth."

"The ocean between Hoenn and Johto will be heavily guarded by both sides. You'll be there for transportation and communications." Lance explained.

"How long do you expect us to be hiding out in Hoenn for?" Karen unconsciously played with the ring on her finger as she crossed her arms.

Lance shrugged, "As long as this takes I expect." he answered unsurely. Karen rolled her eyes but didn't question him any further.

Koga stood up, "I'll lead this mission." he volunteered, "We'll set off as soon as we're ready." Lance nodded as Koga and his daughter walked out, presumably to go to Fuchsia City. Misty said good-bye and went out so it was just Lance and Karen in the room.

"I don't think they'll surrender that easily Lance." Karen chastised and Lance glared at her, "You've got to stop holding back. Norman used to live here but he was still a part of the first attack."

"What are you suggesting? I hold the Hoenn victims hostage like Sabrina said?" Lance asked angrily.

Karen shook her head, "You know I didn't mean that." she stood up and strided out the door with Lance mulling over her words. He forced himself to listen to them. He stopped several times and was hit many times where he could have easily dodged the attacks. Lance slammed his fist on the table at his indecisiveness.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I sadly won't be updating so frequently for the next week because of some coursework I have to do but I'll try.<strong>

**Please review with any comments, questions or suggestions for the series :D**


	33. (V2) Chapter 5

Karen, Misty, Janine and Koga were all wearing headsets. While Misty was out scouting out the Victory Road caves Karen was sitting in a dark cave with nothing but a small laptop. She would not have guessed a few weeks ago that she'd be stuck in a cave for goodness knows how long. Koga and Janine were sneaking into the Hoenn league building and Karen knew that Koga wouldn't want her breaking the radio silence just to complain about matters.

Janine and Koga were one with the shadows. They were expertly and silently avoiding the security cameras while darting onto the ceiling whenever they heard a noise. Koga threw his shuriken pokéball which opened noiselessly to reveal his muk who immediately minimized.

Though he was now invisible to the naked eye Koga knew that his muk was entering the meeting room to record anything important that went in on there.

"Dark4, Muk is in position." Koga shortly said into his headset.

Karen rolled her eyes at the codenames, not sure how they'd hide their identities from anyone but a five year old. She typed something on the laptop and the feed from Muk's camera came up, "I've got it." she affirmed.

Koga nodded and the two ninja were about to continue down the corridor but they heard footsteps and darted onto the ceiling, using ditto to blend into the white paint.

"Stay out of this Phoebe!" they heard someone say crossly.

"No, _you_ stay out of this, Roxanne." Steven was saying tersely. The champion, Roxanne and Phoebe came into view with all three of them sporting annoyed faces, "I didn't want this to begin with."

Roxanne crossed her arms, "Well you're in it now, but it can all be over soon. They _are_ guardians of Hoenn."

"Kyogre and Groudon are violent, uncontrollable legendaries. Team Magma and Aqua already tried and it's only thanks to Brendan and May that we're here now."

Phoebe nodded, "There have only been a few attacks. We can still end this if we act now diplomatically."

Roxanne scoffed, "'Diplomatically'? Look at Steven's face! It's an example of their 'diplomacy'!"

Steven quickly glared at her before sighing and turned to Phoebe, revealing his bruised side to Janine. Janine didn't gasp but she looked to her father with wide eyes. He nodded briefly before looking back. Nearly everyone in the league knew that Chuck had punched Steven but she didn't realise how awful a punch from the gym leader could have been.

"We can't end this now." Steven continued sadly and Phoebe frowned. His head whipped around to face the gym leader before she could even speak, "Utter destruction is not the way. If you want to something other than bother me you can look up the Kahto legendaries who are actual guardians."

Roxanne scoffed, "Ho-oh and Lugia? One word, rocks."

Steven shook his head, "Not how to fight them, with their power we wouldn't get the chance. I want you see if there's any chance of summoning them and if you could stop it."

Roxanne was momentarily silent in thought, "I know that Ho-oh has strong connections to the two towers in Ecruteak city."

Steven quietly sighed in relief, "That should pose no threat to us."

Roxanne looked unconvinced but didn't press the matter any further. She nodded and the three of them started walking further up the corridor to the meeting room.

"By the way, Flannery's getting into position."

Steven looked back at her, "How long will she take?"

Roxanne shrugged, "They have to go the long way around so it'll take a day or two before they'll be able to attack."

Steven opened the door and they went inside, away from Koga and Janine. The corridor was empty but Koga knew that he couldn't risk a long talk. He signalled for Janine to follow him and they made their way outside.

Karen was watching and listening intently as Steven, Phoebe and Roxanne walked into the meeting room where they were being unwittingly recorded by Koga's muk. They were talking about the first battle between Karen, Sidney, Lance, Winona, Clair and Norman but there wasn't anything new.

"Dark4, this is Poison4." Koga began. Karen looked away from the screen but remembered that it was just the audio from the headset.

"Yes?" Karen asked boredly.

"We overheard plans from Steven, Phoebe and Roxanne."

"Yeah, they're in the meeting room talking about me, Lance and Clair."

"There is an attack on the Indigo Plateau planned for the next few days and there are plans concerning Groudon and Kyogre but it's not likely to happen."

Karen nodded, "WaterG?" she asked into the headset.

"Ka-Dark4?" replied Misty's voice.

"I need you to swim out and contact Lance. Tell him about Kyogre, Groudon and the attack on the plateau. Anything else Poison4?"

"They were talking about Ho-oh's connection to Ecruteak City." Janine said, "They know that Morty's not related to the war but Roxanne didn't seem so convinced."

Karen pondered this then shrugged, "Roxanne's just a gym leader. Steven's decision will always outrule hers. Morty'll be safe, plus it's not like they'd attack their own people."

Misty nodded, "Okay. I'll be going out of range for a while, bye." Karen could practically see Misty's grin. Karen straightened up on the rock she was sitting on and continued watching the footage of the meeting room. She was amazed that someone could be so happy in the midst of such gloomy circumstances but even though Karen spent most of her time in the dark she couldn't help but appreciate the light.

* * *

><p>Sabrina's black hair rippled in the gentle wind. Brock and Pryce were gazing at the ocean past route 26.<p>

"The preparations have been completed." the sudden break in the silence made Brock jump lightly. The two turned around to face her, "Do you know when they're going to attack?"

"Do you, Miss Psychic?" Brock asked. The black bracelets on her wrists glowed green as she clenched her fists.

"My powers are psychokinetic." _Psycho indeed_, Brock thought but he didn't dare say it, "I'm no seer." she crossed her arms and looked to Pryce, "Speaking of which, does he have any information for us?"

Pryce shook his head, "He's declared neutrality. The only reason he'd help either side is if he foresaw a catastrophe." the swinub on Pryce's lap started squealing and scrambling around. The gym leaders' heads turned to the sky, "They're coming." Pryce warned.

Sabrina raised her hands to the sky along with her and several other psychic Pokémon scattered around the plateau contributed their power until all the sky they saw had a slight pink tinge. Brock called out his onix and Pryce his mamoswine. The three looked around in apprehension until Pryce spotted something in the distance.

"Sabrina, can you let me shoot through the shield?" Pryce asked with his large mamoswine looming protectively over the old man.

Sabrina nodded and held out her hands again and the pink hue began even more diluted, "It's one way now."

Pryce called out more of his Pokémon including his Jynx and his Lapras. The projectiles were clear in the sky now. Flaming boulders were headed their way and coming closer with every moment Pryce waited. Lance had set no clear leader but even Sabrina couldn't help but respect Pryce's knowledge and seniority. Brock and Sabrina were ready along with some people from Mahogany Town, Pewter and Saffron City but were all waiting for Pryce's order.

"Now." he commanded and attacks erupted from the Pokémon, sailing through the shields as if they were nonexistent. They hurdled across the sky and were on a collision course with Flannery's attacks.

It seemed impossible that such a barrage of Pokémon moves could have failed to destroy every projectile Flannery had sent at them yet the sky above them seemed to shake with the boulder hitting the shields.

Sabrina looked smugly at Brock, "There's no chance I'll allow such a second-rate trainer to break my shields." she called out Alakazam and Brock's eyes widened. Sabrina pointed to some incoming rocks and smirked. The following charge beam obliterated the last few boulders. Brock was amazed how it attacked with prompting from its trainer but after all he'd seen there wasn't really any reason not to believe in her abilities.

The cascade of boulders had stopped but everyone was still breathing nothing but tension in the air.

"Will they come to us?" Brock asked Pryce but the old man turned his wheelchair around to face the plateau.

"No. It's her job to wear us down. She's the long term plan."

Brock furrowed his eyebrows in a confused manner, "I thought they were attacking the Plateau because they wanted a short victory."

Pryce returned all his Pokémon except for Swinub, "I expect they've realised that is no longer an option." Brock didn't go inside with Pryce. He just stood still with the realisation dawning on his face that this wouldn't be over as soon as he'd hoped.

Sabrina rolled her eyes at Brock and returned all her Pokémon as well, "I hope you're up to it." she said as she walked past him. Brock stayed outside for night watch but what he was really hoping for was an opportunity to mull over his thoughts while he watched the clear, dark jewelled sky.

* * *

><p>With Koga and Karen's knowledge of the Hoenn plans and the Elite Four's watch over the ocean and Pryce's defence of the Plateau many of Hoenn's first attacks failed to pass into Kahto but Hoenn was determined not to end the war without making at least one move.<p>

Falkner's eyes darted suspiciously to the flying silhouette in the distance but before it came into visibility his pokégear buzzed, alerting him to an incoming call.

"Hello?" he said to the caller who responded with a chuckle.

"Hey Falkner. Just so you know I'm coming soon so don't try to shoot me out of the sky." Walker hung up and left his son rolling his eyes with the hint of an impressed smile. _Try_, Falkner mused, _As if we could ever hit him_.

As he'd promised it was the ex-gym leader on his skarmory that came into view. He flew up to his son's pidgeot and smirked.

"Did you see anything on your way here?" Falkner asked.

Walker looked back at the ocean, "No. I bumped into Bruno but I didn't feel like stopping."

"Walker!" someone on the ground called. The two looked down at Lt. Surge on the beach. Skarmory swooped down closer to the beach and Walker jumped onto the damp sand while Falkner remained in the sky. Surge readjusted his shades as he smirked, "You here to help or just observe?"

"You didn't even have to ask. I'm not the kind of person who'd let someone gang up on a friend."

Surge gestured to Falkner who was flying above their heads and surveying the sky, "So are you gonna join Falkner's team?"

Walker put his hands behind his head, "Think of me more of a maverick than a soldier. I'll be flying and fighting but I won't be taking any orders. Has there been any action yet?"

"Some fires at the Plateau and a couple of fights across the ocean but nothing's reached us yet." he said almost sadly.

Walker looked up at the sky, "Yet." he said cryptically.

Surge raised an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Walker raised his hands defensively, "The Elite's pretty good but we can't underestimate people as determined as those in Hoenn. You of all people know that."

"Yeah. It..." Surge was cut off by the beeping of his pokégear. He flipped it open and raised it to his ear, "What is it?"

Walker jumped onto his skarmory, predicting what Surge's caller was saying. Surge looked back to him and nodded. With a raised voice he addressed all the people on the shore, "Get ready everybody! Bruno's in pursuit of some Hoenn Pokémon coming our way!"

The people who'd been nervously lingering until that point immediately stirred, calling out Pokémon or setting up some defences on the buildings. Chuck jogged up to Surge and saw as Walker headed into the sky.

"How long do we have?" he asked with his Poliwrath next to him.

"Fifteen minutes at best. They sped past Bruno before reinforcements could get there but Lance and Clair will be arriving soon."

Chuck cracked his knuckles, "Tell 'em 'Don't bother'. It's you, me, Blue, Walker and Falkner here. Do you know who they sent?"

Surge shrugged, "All Bruno saw was Drake and Winona but there'll be more than that."

Chuck nodded and raised his fists, "When they attack, I'll let my roaring fists do the talking."

* * *

><p><strong>I always thought is was weird that Chuck's title was more of a description than an actual title.<strong>

**Next time will be the first battle to take place in Cianwood City.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review with any comments, questions or suggestions for the series. :D**


	34. (V2) Chapter 6

Winona, Drake, Sidney and Norman were speeding past the ocean, knowing that Bruno was on their tail with Clair and Lance not far behind. They knew that Cianwood would be difficult to breach with all the inevitable defences.

Norman was looking in the opposite direction and using his castform to shoot ice into the ocean, hopefully delaying Bruno's pursuit. Winona, Drake and Sidney were charging ahead with their flying Pokémon.

Winona spotted some birds in the distance and she urged her altaria to fly faster. She shot ahead of the two elites and she noticed the birds' trainers doing the same. She grumbled to herself that they were clearly outnumbered from the start, especially with Brawly, Watson, Tate and Liza in other regions, but she refused to believe they were outmatched.

As Winona flew closer she recognised the Pokémon, a skarmory and a pidgeot. She'd met the two flying masters beforehand so she understood exactly who she was up against.

The tension of awaiting battle chilled Falkner more than the harsh winds up in the sky but if he was honest with himself that wasn't what he was nervous about. He'd never felt comfortable in his role as the Violet City gym leader just because he knew he'd never be as great or a talented as his father yet he found himself in the sky, somehow his equal. He was glad that his father was there though. Now they could show Winona who was the better flying type master.

"Tailwind." he commanded to his pidgeot and soon it was whipping up a massive wind flowing in the direction of the incoming attackers. Not only would this speed up their attack it would also halt their movements.

Walker gave a sideways smirk to Falkner before shooting off on his skarmory, "Swift!" he called and his skarmory reared its head, preparing for the attack but Winona struck first.

"Sing!" Winona commanded and her altaria began crying melodiously. Falkner's eyes widened in shock but Walker seemed unfazed.

"Metal sound!" Skarmory opened its metallic beak, swift having failed, and emitted a horrifically loud and clattering sound that forced Altaria to wince in pain but Winona was protected by her winged helmet. She was about to attack Skarmory when Falkner and his pidgeot flew from underneath, colliding with the power of brave bird. Winona barely held onto her altaria and would have been thrown off by the next attack if a fire blast from Norman's castform hadn't stopped them.

Winona and her altaria flew off and Falkner turned to follow but Walker held out his hand, "They can handle her. Focus on slowing the others down!" Walker shouted above the winds. Without hesitation Falkner obeyed and faced the oncoming Drake and Sidney.

Mandibuzz and Salamence shot at the two who were forced to stand instead of evading their attacks and potentially letting them reach Cianwood City.

It was brave bird against brave bird and thunder fang against steel wing. The following collisions erupted in several powerful impacts, enough to knock Falkner and Drake off their mounts before falling onto a quickly summoned Flygon and Fearow.

"Go!" Sidney yelled to Drake but Falkner's eyes narrowed in determination. While Drake was turned away Fearow's heat wave was blasted at him.

Drake was thrown forwards once again and tumbled into the ocean but Falkner didn't expect something like that to disturb a sailor. He was right. Drake's flygon and salamence shot to their trainer's aid along with Falkner's pidgeot. Walker was busy fighting Sidney so Falkner shot towards the sea and Drake's two Pokémon.

Chuck, Blue and were standing on top of a cliff along with a few others from Cianwood. They were scanning the horizon for the Hoenn Pokémon, knowing that how competent both Walker and Falkner were they wouldn't be able to hold off an Elite for long especially since Winona was with Drake. Blue's aerodactyl was hovering overhead while Raichu and Poliwrath were both standing near their trainers.

Without warning Surge shouted, "Focus blast!"

Raichu held its paws slightly apart and a ball of blue light gathered there quickly before shooting into the water. Chuck and Blue followed the ball's path to where Surge had spotted something.

Chuck recognised it and turned to his poliwrath, "Use bulk up," Poliwrath nodded shortly before quickly glowing.

Blue had spotted it too. Someone speeding through the ocean on a linoone. As silly as it sounded Blue had to give Norman credit for not looking ridiculous as he rode a freaking _linoone_ into battle. A castform was hovering nearby while shooting the water in their wake with ice, creating a trail of icebergs behind them. The focus blast barely missed the target and the three gym leaders saw Norman look up at them. Castform turned to them and a large fire blast shot their way.

"Fire blast!" Blue called and Aerodactyl shot the star-like flame towards the attack while Surge called out his electrode.

Norman kept shooting at the cliff while the gym leaders and Cianwood people began sending blasts at him which his quick linoone kept dodging to everyone's frustration. Aerodactyl was once again forced to block the fire blast with another fire blast but suddenly, unnaturally, darks clouds began gathering and swirling around Cianwood.

Chuck looked to the electrode and Surge who smirked, "Let's see how he handles one more disadvantage."

They looked over to Norman's castform who glowed and contorted the moment a raindrop fell on its white body. It's round head twisted into a blue teardrop shape while it's lower body became grey and fanned out.

The rain began falling more harshly and Surge cracked his knuckles before pointing at Norman with gusto, "Thunder!" he yelled and both his electrode and raichu sparked before erupting in electricity.

Blue and Chuck had to look away or they would have been blinded by the sudden burst of light under the now dark sky like Norman was. His attention immediately switched to the thunder coming his way and knowing that it wouldn't miss in weather like this his mind raced, "Prot-" he started but before he knew lightning had struck. The impact sent him hurdling into the ocean and momentarily into unconsciousness but his linoone, who'd managed to stay conscious after getting halfway through protect when the thunder struck, dragged him to the surface.

Chuck punched his open palm and looked to Poliwrath, "Waterfall!" he yelled and Poliwrath leapt off the cliff, propelled by the water surrounding it. It was planning to get to Norman but instead it was knocked into the cliff by Sidney's sudden bone rush.

"Sidney!" Chuck growled, "Poliwrath, use waterfall!" Poliwrath recovered itself and shot at Sidney and his mandibuzz who'd only just managed to get past the tailwind.

Mandibuzz began glowing with a red then blue energy. It shot towards the speeding Poliwrath but then Chuck yelled something at his Pokémon. Sidney's eyes widened as the water supporting Poliwrath stopped and its fist started to glow with blue light. Mandibuzz realised the change in attack too and tried to stop as it flew right into Poliwrath's focus punch.

Not only did Mandibuzz get the recoil damage from using brave bird but the combined efforts of that and the focus punch knocked it out. Sidney was now falling but so was Chuck's poliwrath. With gritted teeth Surge turned to his electrode and commanded it to use magnet rise.

While its power wasn't enough to stop them falling from such a distance it did tremendously slow their descent. Sidney wasted no time in calling back his fainted mandibuzz and throwing out his sharpedo.

Norman steadied himself on his linoone and held a pokéball in his hands, remembering what had happened to Sidney at the battle of the conflict. He threw it like a grenade at the cliff, yelling a command as he did.

Blue, Chuck and Surge watched as the pokéball flew at then exploding at the very last seconds into his exploud who opened its massive square mouth and unleashed hyper voice on the two, blasting them off their feet onto the mud. Blue quickly recovered and sprang to his feet but by then Exploud had already been recalled.

"Clever," Blue admitted, "But let's see you get out of this!" he threw a pokéball down into the water and his gyarados burst out of the water.

Sidney and Norman were realising just how outnumbered they were, especially when they weren't on land, when Drake and Winona began flying towards them.

Chuck saw Falkner and Walker shooting attacks at them as the Hoenn trainers fought against the tailwind protecting Cianwood but just before the two flying type masters could catch up they broke through the tailwind into the rain.

Winona's honchkrow used heat wave and Blue, Surge, Chuck, Sidney and Norman winced at the sudden rise in temperature.

Drake's salamence shot at the cliff but Blue steeled himself. "Use ice fang!" he yelled and aerodactyl flew open mouthed at the dragon, its teeth ringed with ice, and bit down. "Hold it," Blue called as he looked to Surge.

"Now!" Surge commanded and all the Kahto Pokémon shot attacks at the four Hoenn trainers. Drake and his salamence were blown back but they weren't anywhere near giving up yet.

Though weary Norman was still using his Exploud to fight Blue's gyarados as they stood on Winona's tropius. The fact that they were limited to swimming or flying Pokémon was definitely a problem they'd have to discuss with Steven later.

"Thunder fang!" Drake called to his salamence and they sped towards the gyarados while Blue was yelling commands, now on his aerodactyl.

Winona dived at Chuck who was standing with Surge while they both called out orders for their Pokémon. He quickly threw out Hitmonlee who leapt at the honchkrow with sparking fists.

Honchkrow rapidly dropped and let Hitmonlee fly over its head but Winona wouldn't let Chuck go that easy. She was hanging from Honchkrow's leg and began to swing. She used the momentum to jump onto the cliff, the first person to from Hoenn to do so since the conflict started.

Raichu's thunderbolt shot from behind Chuck and charged at Winona. The bolt startled her so she was easily pushed off the cliff where her honchkrow was waiting. Winona growled at the two as Drake shot upwards on a flygon and appeared into their view.

Boomburst hit the ground and blasted the two off their feet as Drake leapt onto the cliff. Chuck blindly chucked a pokéball in their direction as he got to his feet with Surge nearby. Drake expected it to go off and for one of Chuck's Pokémon to be quickly shot down by his flygon but instead it hit his face, hard. Drake's face turn red from both the sudden hit and indignance but then Machamp burst into the battle, its four arms raised and ready to attack.

"Use dual chop!" Chuck yelled as Machamp lunged for Flygon and Chuck dived at Drake. Drake, surprised at Chuck's attack, rapidly raised his arms to block the Dojo Master's blow while his flygon had to do the same. knew that Chuck could cover them so he began aiming for Sidney who was standing on his sharpedo down below while Winona kept trying to get at Chuck.

Winona and her honchkrow swooped down onto the cliff, ready to attack Chuck while he was occupied, but Falkner had finally caught up with her.

Winona whipped her head around to see the young gym leader's fearow blast them with heat. She raised her arms to shield her eyes and yelled for Honchkrow to use an attack but then Surge's raichu hit Honchkrow from behind. Winona barely held on and her teeth were gritted in anger.

She watched as Falkner seemed to just make a throwing motion despite not throwing anything. She shrugged it off and ordered Honchkrow to use icy wind.

The cold bit at Falkner and Fearow's wings seized up and became rigid. They were falling when Walker stopped fighting Sidney and his sharpedo and flew over to his son while having Walker's Pidgeot use heat wave. Fearow thawed out and regained flight at the last second.

"Use flash cannon!" Walker yelled and Skarmory's beak opened wide as metallic gathered there. Winona's irises shrank in fear as Walker was aiming right at her.

She sent out her swellow and returned her Honchkrow as she leapt onto the faster Pokémon. She sped away with the aid of the tailwind but even then the metallic beam barely missed Swellow's tail feathers. Skamory swept flash cannon across the battle, hitting numerous of the Hoenn Pokémon but expertly missing all of the allies.

Chuck jumped back from the battle and pointed to Flygon, "Rock slide!" he called. Machamp raised all four arms and with that motion several large rocks rose into the air. Drake knew that Chuck wouldn't care if it was him or his Pokémon that took that. He ran to the edge of the cliff and onto his flygon, bracing as the rock slide sent it hurtling backwards.

Sidney meanwhile was being plagued by thunder which, thanks to the infernal rain, wasn't missing sharpedo. He was soaked to the skin himself and feared that one of the bolts would miss sharpedo and hit him. They'd only survived this long by having Zoroark take some of the electricity that would have long since fainted sharpedo. Not that Surge was the only problem he faced. He and Norman were too busy trying to juggle fighting a gyarados, a skarmory and several fighting types from Cianwood.

Gyarados' head whipped around like it was doing a hammer throw as its outrage tried to get at Tropius and Sharpedo. Blue hovered near Gyarados on his aerodactyl and shouted orders to the Pokémon, trying to hit the two Hoenn trainers. Surge's thunder was definitely helping to wear them down but Blue noticed Sidney's tricks with his Zoroark.

Everyone was occupied with fighting so Blue didn't know how he could organise some sort of push to get them out of there among the pandemonium. He got out his pokégear and tried calling Surge, unable to shout above the rain, Pokémon cries and the wind, but he didn't pick up.

"Gyarados!" Blue yelled, "Use earthquake!"

Gyarados spared a confused glance at its trainer before using the attack. Norman on Winona's tropius looked just as confused. Gyarados was in the ocean and nowhere near the cliff so all the attack did was stir up the water though that only affected Sidney.

Sidney went one knee, no longer able to steady himself while standing on Sharpedo's back. He looked to Blue who was flying high on his aerodactyl and glaring at him.

"Aqua jet!" Sidney commanded and he was forced into the ocean as Sharpedo shot off into the sky. Blue shot a meaningful look to Surge and realisation dawned on Sidney's face.

"Hyper voice!" Norman commanded, noticing Surge acting out of the corner of his eye. Thunder erupted once again and shot towards Sidney. It would take too long to call out a Pokémon so all he could do was try to get away but the harsh waves made that difficult.

Sidney cried out as lightning struck near him but he quickly fell silent as he fainted. Norman recalled Exploud and ordered Tropius to fly faster.

Tropius pulled Sidney out of the water just as Drake's voice could be heard in the four's pokégears. They had no choice but to retreat. Norman and Drake wanted to continue fighting but even they could understand that would be going in over their heads.

Chuck watched angrily as the cowards fled and someone used sunny day to clear up the skies. The rain stopped but everyone was drenched in either rain or seawater. Blue, Walker and Falkner flew over to where Surge and Chuck were fuming.

"So those bastards just ran." Surge was grumbling.

Blue landed next to them, "But they probably won't attack soon. They're dependant on people like Winona and it'll take some time for them to recover."

Walker rolled his eyes angrily, "It's only thanks to tailwind that she'll get that time."

Chuck nodded then unexpectedly he smiled, "Good job everyone. I'm sure one of these days we'll finally beat it into Hoenn's head that they won't beat us."

Surge gave Blue and Falkner a thumbs up, "Yeah, good work kids."

Falkner crossed his arms but didn't say anything about the 'kids' comment. He looked to Fearow and mounted the Pokémon, "I'll tell Lance about this." he flew off and once he was in the sky, away from other ears, he groaned.

He couldn't believe he'd let Drake and Winona get to the fight at all. His father's tailwind idea had been ingenious but as he went through the battle in his mind he couldn't think of a moment where he'd really helped. Lance had given each of the acting gym leaders some sort of general status during the conflict but he couldn't help but feel that his father would have been the better choice for Violet City.

The air around the plateau looked vaguely purple so it didn't come as much of a surprise when Fearow seemed to land in the middle of the air. He looked inside the shields and saw Sabrina surveying the horizon with a calculated stare. Fearow rapped its talons on the shield and she immediately looked up. With a vague trace of a grin on her face she raised her hand and the solid air beneath them disintegrated. Fearow dropped suddenly before regaining altitude and descending in a controlled manner.

Falkner didn't say anything to her but shot her an annoyed look as he returned Fearow and went inside.

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><p><strong>So that was a hard one to write. Nearly 3,000 words and at least 7 tabs open so I can get the Po<strong>**kémon and move pools right.**

**But I hope you enjoyed one of the only full battles I'll show. There'll be a few important parts but none as long as this.**

**Anyway, how long until Hoenn surrenders? Place your bets! ;)**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review with any comments, suggestions or questions about the series so I can improve it for you guys! :D**


	35. (V2) Chapter 7

"What happened to you?" Phoebe cried as the two men stumbled into the room. Sidney's black jacket had a massive burn hole in the shoulder while Norman was looking generally scarred and bruised.

Norman raised his hands proudly to stop her racing forwards, "It's nothing." But his eyes were full of rage. Steven walked into the room and his eyes widened at the sight.

Sidney sat down on one of the chairs and looked angrily at the champion, "With us restricted to just the air or water they're just kickin' us down the stairs."

Steven silently thought, "What do you mean? Do you want to back out?" he asked inexpressively so no-one could read his emotions.

"No way. Just because you want to doesn't mean the rest of us will."

Steven's face flashed with anger before composing itself, "I'm not going to surrender but what do you suggest we do about our disadvantage."

Phoebe and Glacia walked over to the sitting Norman and Sidney, Phoebe with her mismagius and Glacia with her frolass.

"What in the world happened to you two? When Drake and Winona passed by they weren't nearly as damaged." Glacia interrupted.

"Ask Surge." Norman said bitterly.

Steven looked to Sidney for more details.

"The bastard used thunder on us both. Norman was lucky not to get hit but it was like I had a target plastered across my forehead out there."

Glacia shook her head, displeased, "I can't believe you, an elite four, would let a mere gym leader send you running home."

Sidney glared at her before looking back to Steven who was stroking his chin thoughtfully, "Just as we would want to battle Chuck I expect that you are Kahto's target." he paused and motioned to leave the room, "I'll send Wallace next. As unfortunate as it is we'll have to rely on flying or water types."

Sidney rolled his eyes, "Didn't you forget something? Surge is one of Chuck's mates. It's not the smartest move directly sending someone who specialises in water types."

Steven looked back as something occurred to him, "Who else was there?"

Norman ticked them off his fingers as he went along, "Chuck, Surge, Blue, Walker and Falkner. All of Chuck's friends really."

Steven quickly did some planning in his head, "That means the only one of us who could go into that fight without some sort of disadvantage is Drake. Let's face it, this was never going to be easy."

Steven walked out and left Glacia and Phoebe to treat Sidney and Norman's burns.

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><p>"Wow. Have you seen the state of those two?" Karen asked into her headset.<p>

"Who?" Misty asked as she sped across the ocean on her seaking.

"Norman and Sidney. It looks like Surge fried them from what I can tell. They're not seriously hurt." Karen added to assure Misty.

"Is there anything important, Dark4?" Koga asked in a short and annoyed tone. Karen may act more mature but sometimes she can be just as easily bored as Will.

"Next time Steven's sending Wallace and probably Drake. They just realised that for every trainer they have we have someone who can outmatch them."

"After Surge defeated Norman _and_ Sidney they're sending in the water type specialist?" Janine affirmed incredulously.

Karen nodded despite no-one being around to see it, "That's what I meant by them realising they have no advantages against us. Sidney just pointed that out."

"Radio silence." Koga ordered and both Misty and Karen stopped talking. Koga must have been near someone.

Karen consulted the screens and saw from Koga's point of view a very disgruntled looking Winona walking past. She stormed into a room where Karen didn't have any bugs so she looked away from the screen. Though she was fed up with being stuck in a cave all day for longer than she ever would have liked she was pleased with the information they were getting. So far they'd warned Lance and Chuck about most of the incoming attacks and it was only because of the unbugged rooms that the Hoenn forces had ever managed to reach Johto waters.

She threw out Houndoom and petted its head rhythmically. While her eyes and ears were focused on Hoenn her mind drifted to Kahto. Somehow petting Houndoom's short black fur made her feel strangely of home.

And so the battles raged on. Each similar but different. Different Pokémon, different trainers, different areas but all of them ended up the same way. Hoenn had not left Cianwood untouched by any means but Kahto would always inevitably win. So far every battle had been a mere show of power like a standard Pokémon battle with some twisted rules, people had been hurt but then so have trainers on their journeys. Though no-one treated it as such it was pretty much a game but then again, it's only a game until someone gets killed.

* * *

><p>They were in the middle of a heated battle. Chuck was fighting Glacia atop the cliff, a poliwrath versus a glalie. Chuck wasn't fighting Glacia as he'd done with Drake, it was more like a traditional battle.<p>

Fighting above the waves were Sidney and Chuck while Drake and Walker were battling in the skies. One of Glacia's stray attacks had blasted the water, leaving a large floating plain of ice to fight on.

Sparks flew and darkness erupted as Absol and Raichu clashed on the ice field. Absol dodged Raichu's focus blast with a grace that seemed odd when compared to its trainer who was determined this time not to get hit.

"Thunder wave!" Surge commanded but Absol's jewel and sickle shaped horn glowed with a psychic pink before the energy slashed through the electricity. Surge's eyes widened, no-one had sliced through thunder wave before.

Absol leapt into the air, swerving to avoid the focus blasts in mid-air. Surge and Raichu's anger were one with Raichu wanting to win as much as his trainer. Absol's agility was frustrating and every time focus blast hit empty air Raichu's rage went up a notch.

"Use night slash!" Sidney called and Absol jumped into the air again. This time its horn glowed with black energy.

There was little Surge or Raichu could do to avoid the attack. It came crashing down near their feet and the following impact sent them flying. Raichu was quick to recover and managed to twist mid-air so it could just bounce off the cliff but Surge was hurled against the rock-face.

Walker and Skarmory suddenly dropped, simultaneously dodging Drake's attack and swooping down to pick up Surge from the ocean. Skarmory soared upwards and set Surge down on top of the grassy cliff.

Walker was going to walk away and resume his fight with Drake but before he turned away he noticed something. He'd assumed Surge was unconscious, he wasn't moving, but now Surge's head was facing away from Walker he saw it. He saw the blood.

It stained Surge's blonde hair and a path of cuts ran down his back. Walked jumped off Skarmory and placed two fingers beneath Surge's jaw line, searching for a pulse...but all he found was cold silence.

He immediately retracted his hand, his mind finally processing the shock. So many emotions ran through his head, sadness, confusion, even fear, but all the situation allowed him express was rage. He hadn't been exactly friends with Surge but they'd met as gym leaders, fought alongside each other with Chuck and he had a lot of qualities that Walker looked up to in a person. Now he was dead. The sounds of battle in the background seemed small compared to the sound of his heart beating.

Walker glanced back to Sidney and his anger grew tenfold. Accident or not, his death was on _their_ hands.

He looked from Skarmory to Chuck, "Protect him." he ordered before running off the cliff and landing on Pidgeot while Skarmory stood protectively near Surge's body.

Chuck saw Walker and Surge out of the corner of his eye so he gritted his teeth and called a command to Poliwrath, now was not the time to be a gentleman.

Poliwrath blasted both Glalie and Glacia with a waterfall directed at the ground while Chuck ran over to Skarmory to see what had happened. All he saw was Skarmory and Surge. _Walker had probably asked Skarmory to guard him while he recovered_, Chuck thought but there was an ominous air surrounding them.

"Surge?" he asked. He kicked his friend gently in the shoulder, "Come on."

He looked at the grass surrounding him and realised in a sickening moment what was wrong with the scene. There was red among the green and Skarmory's head was bowed like a mourner.

Chuck couldn't believe it. L.t Surge was one of the best trainers and a good friend but he'd been the first to fall. He remembered some proverb his wife had told him, 'A candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long' but he'd never believed that. Surge was no candle. He was an inferno and he should have prevailed against anything but instead he'd just been cut down.

Tears had started to form in his eyes but his fists were clenched. His anger was almost uncontrollable.

"Poliwrath!" he called above the fierce winds with his uncontainable rage clear in his voice. All he wanted was their destruction, "Use waterfall!"

He threw out all his Pokémon and ordered them to attack the Hoenn trainers with barely a glance at them. He turned to face Cianwood and ran to get someone.

Sidney's eyes widened in shock as Walker, who he'd watching with mild curiosity in spite of himself, shot at him atop a pidgeot with eyes full of fury. Sidney was beginning to realise what he'd done and knew that there's no way he'd survive a direct confrontation while they were fuelled by such anger.

He returned Absol and threw out Sharpedo. He looked quickly back at an incoming Walker before jumping onto one of the fastest water Pokémon, hoping that it would be faster than a pidgeot. He couldn't believe what he'd done but at present his mind was distracted by his immediate problems.

Walker saw Sidney trying to leave and was well aware of Drake near enough to attack him but he didn't care. He would follow that trainer to the ends of that world if that's what it took to avenge Surge's death.

Pidgeot was speeding towards Sidney and his sharpedo and dodging Drake's futile attempts to stop him but then Chuck's voice rang out, surprisingly clear despite the sounds of fighting or the wind.

"Stop." Glacia, Drake and Sidney were fleeing but Walker suddenly halted. He looked back and saw hollow anger pervade Chuck's face which was even scarier than fury, "Those bastards will get their fitting end but we have to respect Surge's memory."

The anger that filled every end of Walker's body seemed to drain out of him. It did not disappear but it soon stopped pushing him forward. He'd stopped in despair, hovering on the back of his Pokémon.

Some people from Cianwood had gathered to take care of Surge while Chuck and Walker lingered. All of the ones to fall no-one would have guessed the lightning soldier* would be the first. The people of Vermillion City were furious. They held a hatred for Hoenn that surpassed those of Cianwood and refused to remain inactive in the conflict. It wasn't about the defence of Cianwood to them. It was the battle with Hoenn they wanted to win.

Even though the stakes had grown tenfold there was no end in sight. The line of no return had been shattered so Hoenn had no choice to stop attacking or they'd be accused of surrender. With such anger in Kahto defences had to be set up. It was no longer a fight between the leagues, the people were involved now and there was no doubt that the conflict was now war.

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><p><strong>*I changed Surge's title from 'The lightning american' to 'the lightning soldier' because I didn't really want to have to think of some reason for America to exist in the Pokémon world.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>R.I.P. Lieutenant Surge - The Lightning Soldier<strong>

**_If it wasn't before it was a war now. Things are now getting into full swing now the people are involved. The first death was sad to write (_**_:(**) but it mustn't have been a surprise considering this is a prequel.**_

**I'm sorry for such a short chapter but these chapters are based on events not really word count.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review with any comments, questions or suggestions for the series so I can improve it! :D**


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